Arguably two of the most kick-ass characters in movies over the last few years have been Jason Statham’s The Transporter and Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills from the movie Taken. If you agree, then you might be interested to know that a TV version of each character’s respective movie franchises are on the way.
Deadline is reporting that director Luc Besson’s French “movie factory” EuropaCorp is aiming to start shooting The Transporter TV series early next year, with a budget of $48 million for a total of 12 episodes (that’s $4 million an episode).
News of this Transporter-based series surfaced back in April but at that time EuropaCorp hadn’t signed a deal with any U.S. networks. However, apparently one of the big networks is now on board but it’s not been revealed which one – my guess would be Fox, since Twentieth Century Fox handled distribution for The Transporter movies.
The Transporter series will follow in the same direction as Nikita, the new action series which is a reboot/remake of the original franchise first kicked off by the 1990 French-language movie La Femme Nikita. That series just received a full season order from CW (and it’s looking like it’ll get a second season as well), so I imagine EuropaCorp is hoping The Transporter series will follow suit.
Taken
Like The Transporter, the Liam Neeson thriller Taken looks to be making the jump to TV as well. Although plans for a TV version aren’t as concrete as they are for The Transporter, EuropaCorp is currently thinking about making the show – but only after Neeson shoots Taken 2 early next year. I guess the studio wants to see if the sequel does as well as the first film at the box office before it commits to making a multi-episode TV series.
There’s no mention if either Jason Statham or Liam Neeson will be making the jump to the small screen to star in The Transporter and Taken series, respectively, but it’s doubtful. Both shows will likely function similar to the Blade TV series, in that the series will feature the same characters played by different actors.
These two movie franchises becoming TV series are said to be part of EuropaCorp’s “push into TV production.” On top of these two, the studio also has a TV version of Besson’s Arthur and the Invisibles in the works. For a full break down of the plans EuropaCorp have for TV and upcoming movies (and the troubles therein) head over to Deadline.
Admittedly neither The Transporter nor Taken strike me as being suited to TV. They are very over-the-top and cinematic with how they portray action (amongst other things) and needless to say the budgets are a factor. The third Transporter cost $41 million to make which is almost the entire budget The Transporter TV series has; while Taken cost $25 million to make.
Having said that, if they keep the action as kinetic and well-choreographed as it was in both The Transporter franchise and Taken – as well as create a story that can successfully span the length of a TV series – then we should have a couple of shows that are at the very least entertaining.
The Transporter series is set to start shooting early next year with the first episodes to be delivered by November 2011. Taken is just in the idea stage at the moment – we’ll have to wait until Taken 2 comes out before we find out if the TV series gets the go-ahead.
Source: Deadline
No Loki in 'Avengers 2' 
Ryan Reynolds Drops Out of 'Highlander' Reboot 
'Man of Steel' Director & Writer on What Has to Happen in 'Man of Steel 2' 
Movie News Wrap Up: Arnold in 'Expendables 3', 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Movie & More 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Agreed.
I personally feel Taken only survived because of Neeson. You take him out of that role, put someone else in there without his energy, charisma, and skill, and that film flounders badly. As a show I’d imagine Taken being a lot like 24 with a full season arch. I can’t imagine either working in the episodic format without running out of ideas at mach speed.
Blade: The Series, starring Kirk “Sticky Fingaz” Jones in the title role; 12 episodes, then boom!
Not only no, but hell no!
Is Taken 2 definitely being made???
Hope so, Taken was the best action film of the last decade.
Yes but what will it be about? It wont be him going after his daughter cause I doubt she will do that again and that was the emotional part of the story.
People keep saying that like it’s the only option. His buddies, the guys he worked with at the concert, said they’d been doing security duty or whatever and offered him a spot. Maybe he decides to take them up on it? Maybe someone else is “taken”, just not his daughter. I don’t know if people really can’t see how another movie can be made or they just want to make the same comment over and over…
Yes I understand that they can make movies about him and his buddies but one of the aspects that I really like about is that its a father getting revenge and rescuing his daughter. I dont know a sequel might work but I dont think so.
I’ve actually thought about this, and the answer is pretty obvious: the singer from the first movie. She’s already been attacked, I’ll bet someone kidnaps her or one of her family members so she can make a heartfelt plea to Super CIA Agent Neeson.
Ah that would be good, and she is teaching his daughter too so she could get kidnapped again.
I hope Taken 2 is for real as well Sam that movie was amazing.
Transporter is really the only that sounds like it can be an episodic tv show. Though I am not a fan of the idea, especially without Jason Statham (man crush, the dude is just awesome).
The story arc of Taken would be a neat one season story arch.
The problem here is simple; the thing that makes these films good are the stars, without Statham and Neeson, these tv versions are not going to have them so have immediately lost the crucial element to making them a success.
Fail. Epically
yea i cant even say im hype about Taken 2 i mean what are they gonna do this time> take her again and this time the mom2? i mean really? Hollywood loves to beat a dead horse. Not that i didnt love the 1st one cuz i did but i just dont see a part 2 or a show working… for either of these franchises.
I love the Transporter series and Taken, and there is no way on Earth that a TV series will work unless jason Stathem and Liam Neeson are in it and I am doubtful they will. And a Taken 2 doesnt sound like a good idea, Taken is a perfect film to be a stand-alone.
“Taken is a perfect film to be a stand-alone”
Now Seth…when has THAT ever stopped Hollyweird?
hasnt in a looooooong time
“Twentieth Century Fox handled distribution for The Transporter movies.”
Ah, but not the third fim. That was Lionsgate’s problem. I agree that the format could work better as a TV series (one “client” a week and/or a driver for hire) and could work on that level.
“Taken”?! I hate to say this, but if they wanted to use “24″ or “The Wire” as a model, it could work. I don’t really see it though. But that’s as close as you’d get I think.
“Rebooting”or “retcon” or “recast” a TV show from a movie version is nothing new. Happens all the time.
Would I like to see either show? No.
If these were filmed for cable, with a 12-15 episode season, it could possibly be done. But, comparisons to 24 would be obvious. How many bad days could one guy have, etc. I think Joel Surnow once said of 24 that the plan was to feature a different lead character in season 2. They didn’t realize at the time that the show would be such a hit. While I’m a huge Kiefer fan, that premise has always intrigued me. I could see a similar formula being useful to a series like Taken. Just my opinion.
This is the ONLY way this could work as a series, because network tv gives up at the slightest hint of scandalous comment; honestly, the girls of James Bond showed more resistance than your average network suit…look at how fast they gave Leno the Tonight Show gig back!
i think you could get away with a transporter series, stand alone episode will work, as for taken, that really is a bad idea. a second movie could be done but it would need an emotional tie but where would it come from ?
the guy was retired and was on a personal mission to find his daughter and gain revenge only. a second taken movie is like most sequels is only being made for the money and not because the story needs it.
hellll yhhhh
Very strange. As far as I’m concerned Transporter was a giant turd of a film and I’d rather watch pain dry.
Taken however was an awesome film. Truly brilliant though I don’t think a TV series about it could possibly survive without Liam. He’s to big of a star to give up all the money he makes from film no way he’d do the show so no way i’ll watch it. He’s the biggest reason the film was so great.
I’d like to see Neeson play an older, washed up James Bond. He was offered the part twice and turned it down, in the 80s and 90s.
I’m not a bond fan but I’d damn sure watch that movie. I’ll pay to watch Liam eat a sandwhich lol
TAKEN was a bonafide hit and if it follows the format of 24 it maybe a thrilling series. TRANSPORTER needs to stay on the shelf, i bet it would be canceled after one season…