Liam Neeson Takes In A Cool $10 Million For ‘Taken 2' — But Can ‘Taken 3’ Afford Him

Short of kidnapping someone’s daughter and holding her for ransom, there are few ways to earn $10 million. Unless you’re Liam Neeson, one of Hollywood’s least likely but most successful action stars, who guided the 2009 sleeper hit Taken to become one of that year’s most profitable movies, and now stars in the successful sequel.

It’s likely that Liam is one big reason for both films’ box office dominance — yet his kickass clout may also be the reason we never see Taken 3.

Before Taken, Liam was best known for more serious roles in dramatic films like Schindler’s List (though he had starred in a couple big franchise films like Batman Begins and Star Wars Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace). Though well-respected and recognizable to audiences, he certainly wasn’t the guy you went to to headline the kind of action movies usually reserved for Jason Statham or Dwayne Johnson.

That changed with Taken, for which the Oscar-nominated star was paid only $1 million. But Liam got quite a raise on Taken 2 — he reportedly took in $10 million, and it paid off. With an opening weekend tally of almost $50 million, Taken 2 is set to perform at least as well as the first, which earned almost $227 million worldwide (on a production budget of just $25 million).


Liam’s action movie stardom has only grown in the time between Taken and Taken 2, with roles in Unknown, The Grey, and Battleship, playing on the sensitive badass persona he perfected in Taken. Some insiders think he could ask as much as $20 million to star in the next Taken sequel, but that could make the movie too expensive for Fox to even bother making. (Taken wasn't expected to be such a hit, so no plans for sequels were written into the contract. Oops.)

Of course, there’s always a possibility that Taken 3 could be made without Liam, though it’s hard to imagine it would be anywhere near as successful. Imagine poor Maggie Grace getting kidnapped yet again, waiting around for her dad to save her — and he just never shows up!