Taken
The DVD cover for the 3-film box set
Directed byPierre Morel (1)
Olivier Megaton (2-3)
Screenplay by
Produced byLuc Besson
Starring
Cinematography
  • Michel Abramowicz (1)
  • Romain Lacourbas (2)
  • Eric Kress (3)
Edited by
Music byNathaniel Méchaly
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
2008–2014
Running time
294 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageEnglish
Budget$118,000,000
Box office$929,451,015

Taken is a series of English-language French action films, beginning with Taken in 2008, created by producer Luc Besson and American screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen. The dialogue of all three films is primarily English, and all three feature Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills. The first film received mixed reviews from critics but a positive response from audiences with commercial success. The series grossed a combined $929,451,015 worldwide.

The series has also experienced diminishing critical reception with each successive film.

A prequel television series based on a similar storyline and starring Clive Standen and Jennifer Beals premiered in February 2017.

Films

Taken (2008)

Main article: Taken (film)

A retired CIA operative named Bryan Mills crosses the globe to rescue his 17-year-old daughter after she is kidnapped by a group of Albanian smugglers while traveling in France.

Taken 2 (2012)

Main article: Taken 2

Mafia boss and terrorist Murad, the father of Marko, whom Bryan had killed by electrocution in the first film of the trilogy, plans to capture Bryan, who is vacationing with his family in Istanbul, and avenge his son's death.

Taken 3 (2014)

Main article: Taken 3

Bryan has been framed for the murder of his ex-wife, Lenore. He then sets out to clear his name by going after the real killers, while also eluding capture from U.S. authorities for whom he formerly worked.

Television

Taken (2017–2018)

Main article: Taken (2017 TV series)

In September 2015, NBC ordered a Taken television series depicting a young Bryan Mills.[1] In February 2016, Vikings actor Clive Standen was announced to play the young Bryan Mills, with Alex Carey as the showrunner.[2]

Cast and crew

Cast

Characters Films Television series
Taken Taken 2 Taken 3 Taken
Season 1 Season 2
2008 2012 2014 2017 2018
Bryan Mills Liam Neeson Clive StandenM
Kimberly "Kim" Mills Maggie Grace
Lenore "Lenny" Mills-St. John Famke Janssen
Sam "Scott" Gilroy Leland Orser Michael Irby
Mark Rem Casey Jon Gries James Landry Hebert
Bernie Dave Harris David Warshofsky D. B. Sweeney David Warshofsky Jose Pablo Cantillo
Jean-Claude Pitrel Olivier Rabourdin
Marko Hoxha Arben Bajraktaraj Arben BajraktarajAP
Stuart St. John Xander Berkeley Mentioned Dougray Scott
Sheerah Holly Valance
Amanda Katie Cassidy
Patrice Saint-Clair Gérard Watkins
Murad Hoxha Rade Šerbedžija
Jamie Conrad Luke Grimes
Inspector Durmaz Kevork Malikyan
Inspector Franck Dotzler Forest Whitaker
Oleg Malankov Sam Spruell
Jimmy Jonny Weston
Detective Smith Dylan Bruno
Detective Garcia Don Harvey
Detective Johnson Al Sapienza
Christina Hart Jennifer BealsM
Asha Flynn Brooklyn SudanoM
John Gaius CharlesM
Becca Vlasik Monique Gabriela CurnenM
Cali Mills Celeste DesjardinsR Celeste DesjardinsP
Harry Ward Dominic FumusaR
Riley Jennifer MarsalaR
Faaron Simu LiuR
Marzoki Ali KazmiR
Elena Morales Layla AlizadaR
Harden Kilroy Adam GoldbergM
Santana Jessica CamachoM
James Casey Peter OuterbridgeR
Krystiyan Christian BakoR

Crew

Crew Film
Taken Taken 2 Taken 3
Director Pierre Morel Olivier Megaton
Writer Luc Besson
Robert Mark Kamen
Producer Luc Besson
Music Nathaniel Méchaly
Distributor EuropaCorp (France)
20th Century Fox (US)

Reception

Box office performance

Film Release date Box office gross Box office ranking Budget Reference(s)
United States North America Other territories Worldwide All time North America All time worldwide
Taken (2008) January 30, 2009 (2009-01-30) $145,000,989 $81,829,579 $226,830,568 #292 #500 $25,000,000 [3]
Taken 2 (2012) October 5, 2012 (2012-10-05) $139,854,287 $236,287,019 $376,141,306 #318 #219 $45,000,000 [4]
Taken 3 (2014) January 9, 2015 (2015-01-09) $89,256,424 $237,222,717 $326,479,141 #697 #357 $48,000,000 [5][6]
Total $374,111,700 $555,339,315 $929,451,015 $118,000,000 [7]

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Taken (2008) 60% (178 reviews)[8] 51 (32 reviews)[9] A−[10]
Taken 2 (2012) 22% (173 reviews)[11] 45 (35 reviews)[12] B+[10]
Taken 3 (2014) 13% (124 reviews)[13] 26 (30 reviews)[14] B+[10]

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (17 September 2015). "'Taken' Prequel TV Series Ordered by NBC with Luc Besson Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  2. ^ Ausiello, Michael (22 February 2016). "Clive Standen Joins NBC's Taken Series". TVLine. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Taken (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Taken 2 (2012)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Taken 3 (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  6. ^ Lang, Brent (7 January 2015). "Box Office: Liam Neeson and 'Taken 3' to Unseat 'The Hobbit'". Variety. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Taken Franchise". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Taken (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Taken (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Taken 2 (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Taken 2 (2012): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  13. ^ "Taken 3 (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Taken 3 (2015): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  15. ^ Taken 4 with Liam Neeson, Guillermo & Jimmy Kimmel

External links

Taken
Disney franchises and series
Categories