Taken 2 is the latest star at the box office. The action thriller starring Liam Neeson enjoyed a $50 million debut over the weekend, pushing Hotel Transylvania into second place and setting a new record for the third largest opening in October. Industry insiders attribute Neeson for much of the film’s success.
"He gives hope to aging men," Hollywood.com’s Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "He's done the reverse of most actors, where you do the action stuff when you're younger then do the more introspective work when you're older. He's sort of turned it around. When he's 80, he'll probably be kicking even more butt."
Taken 2, the sequel to 2008’s Taken, also stars Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, and Rade Serbedzija.
Second place flick Hotel Transylvania earned $26.3 million over the weekend, bringing its total gross earnings to $76 million. Fellow second-week films Pitch Perfect and Looper trailed Hotel Transylvania, earning $14.7 and $12.2 million, respectively.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Frankenweenie debuted to a disappointing $11.5 million. The Tim Burton-directed film features the voice talent of Charlie Tahan, Frank Welker, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, and Martin Short, among others.
Next up is End of Watch, Trouble with the Curve, and House at the End of the Street with respective earnings of $4, $3.8, and $3.6 million. The Master and Finding Nemo 3D, both in their fourth week at the box office, close out the list of top ten box office performers with weekend figures of $1.8 and $1.5 million.
This weekend brings the release of five new films: Argo, Atlas Shrugged: Part II, Here Comes the Boom, Seven Psychopaths, and Sinister. Will any of the newcomers take down Taken 2? Check back next week to find out.
Box Office Mojo
Photo: Taken 2