Before Taken became a global phenomenon, star Liam Neeson expected the movie to go direct-to-video, rather than blow up at the box office. With a then-55-year-old Neeson starring in a rare action film, expectations were low for the movie, especially when it was only released in France to start. But it slowly made its way around the world, becoming one of the most quotable action films of the century, turning Neeson into a bonafide action star.
Neeson was a star long before Taken, perhaps best known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Oskar Schindler in 1993's Schindler's List. He also played Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace. Still, it wasn't clear if he would be able to carry an action film on his own, especially since that was a role he was unfamiliar with at the time Taken came around. Low expectations for the movie are something Neeson has expressed in the past and is continuing to be forthcoming about now.
In an interview with EW, Neeson admitted he expected Taken to go direct-to-video, stating that he thought it would play well in France for a short spell before ending its theatrical run. He only started to understand the pull of the movie when his nephews in Ireland admitted to illegally pirating the movie from South Korea. Neeson also noted the role the trailer and marketing of the movie in the United States played in its success, with the movie grossing $226 million worldwide against a $25 million budget.
The rest is history, as Taken entered the pop culture zeitgeist and has remained relevant since its 2009 premiere. The movie spawned two sequels starring Neeson and a spinoff television series that aired for two seasons on NBC, ending its run in 2018. Meanwhile, the Taken memes coming from the original movie are still bandied about today. While Neeson has insisted there will be no Taken 4, his desire to keep making action films keeps the dream of another sequel alive and well.
Given the popularity of the franchise, it comes as a bit of a surprise that Neeson initially had such little faith in the movie. In the decade that has followed Taken, Neeson has become one of the biggest action stars of his generation, starring in films such as The Commuter and Non-Stop. Neeson has slowly moved away from action films in recent years, with his EW interview serving as a promotion for the dramedy Made in Italy, which was released to VOD platforms on Friday. Still, Taken remains at the forefront of people's minds as it has become the film Neeson is most associated with for a generation of action fans - not bad for a potential direct-to-video movie.
Source: EW