This is not unlike the perception that follows around actors like Michael Cera and Sarah Jessica Parker, who are often seen as the characters they play in movies and television. Since the release of the first Taken, it's hard to think of a movie where Neeson doesn't play Mills or someone that resembles Mills. His portrayal of Mills bleeds into his real life, at least a little bit.

Formerly thought of primarily as an actor who mostly starred in art films, he's now seen as a graying badass. But the Taken franchise has definitely become iconic and re-defined the actor's career. Do people think Liam Neeson and Bryan Mills are the same person? In the second film, Lenore and Bryan are taken by relatives of the Albanians Bryan killed in the first movie.

According to the franchise's mythos, virgin Americans fetch a high price on the black market, and it just so happens that Kim is one. In the first film, Kim (along with her friend Amanda) is taken because an Albanian human trafficking ring wants to sell her into slavery. Why are Liam Neeson's family members taken?īryan Mills's ex-wife Lenore (Janssen) and daughter Kim (Grace) are taken for different reasons. The franchise revolves around Bryan Mills (Neeson) and his family members, who are ta. Taken 2, released in 2012, grossed around $139 million. The first movie, which came out in France in 2008 (and was released in 2009 in the US), grossed over $145 million domestically. Taken is a very successful movie franchise starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. Here, then, is a brief guide to this cultural phenomenon. Unexpectedly, the franchise has become one of the sturdier, more successful ones out there.īut to a great number of the population, the lasting fidelity to this franchise is a mystery. To many, this story of a man with a particular set of skills is undeniable.

The third installment of the Taken franchise, Taken 3, hits theaters this weekend.

Taken 3 full movie