Taken, for all its detractors, was a huge hit. It relaunched Liam Neeson's somewhat pigeonholed career, making him a late-in-life action star with a sequel currently on its way to cinemas – but according to Neeson himself on the latest Empire Podcast, he thinks the chances of Taken 3 are minimal.
During Empire's interview with the Northern Irish acting goliath, we brought up the fact that in Taken 2 the audience doesn't find out anything about Kim's (Maggie Grace) burgeoning singing career from the first film.
"Of course, what about her singing career?," was Neeson's reponse. "I'd forgotten all about that. Taken 5: Kim's First Concert."
So then, to get to Taken 5, **Taken 3 **and 4 would have to get under way – would he ever consider being part of a potential Taken 3?
"I don't see it," came his reply. "I don't think it's going to happen. I really don't. I can't see a possible scenario where audiences wouldn't go, 'Oh, come on...! She's taken again?'"
Then Liam offers an alternate take on the franchise that you're best off hearing yourself below – the snippet of the interview you're looking for starts at 20.15 or so – as well as the rest of the podcast, which features reviews of Looper and Holy Motors alongside discussions of movie drugs and the best filmic places to go in the UK.
So for all that and more, click play on the SoundCloud file below and remember to subscribe via our RSS feed/iTunes page.
Taken 2 is in cinemas on October 4, and you can read Empire**'s review of it here.