‘Taken’ sequel may be re-casting it’s lead, actor and producer at odds over scheduling.
The sequel to 2008’s surprise global hit ‘Taken’ has hit a snag. It seems that Liam Neeson wants to take some time off before reprising his role of Bryan Mills, the retired government operative who decimated the Paris underworld to free his kidnapped daughter. But Luc Besson, whos is producing, wants to shoot the film this year.
Now Deadline reports that Besson may be considering moving on without Nesson and may already have a replacement. The producers is assembling a list of actors, and that list includes Mickey Rourke, Ralph Fiennes, Ray Winstone, Sean Bean and Jason Isaac
Besson and Robert Mark Kamen (‘The Fifth Element,’ ‘Taken’) wrote a script for ‘Taken 2’ and Besson looks to have lined up his ‘Transporter 3’ director Olivier Megaton for the sequel.
Deadline goes on to report that, as of yesterday, things started turning toward a Neeson return, but it’s by no means definite. But it seems that both actor and producer are working up a schedule that will allow Neeson to shoot the movie in Istanbul later this year and still give the actor the time he needs.