Caffeinated Clint
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Update : Deadline says Neeson has signed on for the sequel. He will still take the rest of the year off, and “Taken 2” will lens, at the latest, early 2012.
Liam Neeson may be out of the “Taken” sequel.
According to Deadline, a scheduling conflict could be preventing Neeson from reprising his role in a sequel to the phenomenally-successful 2008 actioner.
Rather than sit and wait for Neeson to free some time up (he’s not working on anything, Neeson just wants to take some time off) producer Luc Besson and director Oliver Megaton (“Transporter 3”) have been, according to Deadline, “assembling a list of actors to take his place”.
Among those being considered to headline the next instalment in the “Taken” franchise are Mickey Rourke, Ralph Fiennes, Ray Winstone (“The Departed”) , Sean Bean (“The Hitcher”) and Jason Isaacs (“Harry Potter”). Goes without saying that Rourke’s probably going to be the hardest and most expensive catch of that bunch, but all would work.
Neeson may still return, says the site, but if the new schedule that is being drawn up purportedly ”allowing Neeson to shoot the movie in Istanbul later this year and still give the actor the time he needs” isn’t met with the actor’s approval I think it’s safe to say they’ll recast.
