Box Office: 'American Sniper' Shoots Down January Record with $90.2M

1. American Sniper- $90.2M/$93.6M
Reservations about the film and its somewhat controversial depiction of lethal sniper Chris Kyle aside, Clint Eastwood's American Sniper destroyed the January records with $90.2M. The film, which stars Bradley Cooper in a performance that is earning him a great amount of Oscars buzz, had been performing extraordinarily well in limited release for three weeks, but nobody could have foreseen an expansion like this. It not only surpasses Ride Along as the top-grossing January film, but is well on the way to becoming Eastwood's highest-grossing movie of his legendary filmmaking career. Military films have had a rough go about it over the last few years but we've seen that recently that starpower can be enough to trump that. Brad Pitt helped lead Fury to a solid $85M domestically ($201M worldwide), and Bradley Cooper's gruff but emotional turn in American Sniper was clearly a big draw, aided by some truly great TV spots.
2. The Wedding Ringer- $21M
It's another solid early-season comedy for the reliable Kevin Hart as buddy comedy The Wedding Ringer opened with $21M. That's a pretty steep drop from last year's Ride Along (which just lost its January record to American Sniper), but it also doesn't have the benefit of Ice Cube in a supporting role. Nothing against Josh Gad but he's no Ice Cube. The $23M production should finish up as another mid-level hit for Hart, and bodes well for his next film Get Hard opposite Will Ferrell. Expect that one to do much better.
3. Paddington- $19.2M
The Weinstein Company has to consider the $19.2M debut of Paddington sweeter than a marmalade sandwich. The CGI/Live-Action film has been earning some terrific reviews, and deservedly so, both in the US and abroad, having earned $141M worldwide already. It also makes for the most successful Nicole Kidman film in what seems like forever. Remember when she was relevant? Anyway, it looks like moving Paddington from its prior Christmas Day slot was a smart choice as it now becomes the first hit family film of 2015.
4. Taken 3- $14M/$62.8M
Last week's champ Taken 3 took a shot to the body and fell 64% in its second weekend, on the way to $14M and $62.8M domestic. But this franchise, which is apparently wrapping up now (yeah right), has done the most damage overseas. The film has gained an additional $64M internationally and should be enough to keep 20th Century Fox plenty happy.
5. Selma- $8.3M/$25.9M
Here's the thing about getting an Oscar bump: a film has to earn enough Oscar nominations to warrant one. Unfortunately, Ava DuVernay's Selma was largely snubbed by the Academy Awards this week, even though it still got slotted for Best Picture. The controversy surrounding that may be enough to propel it further down the line, but for now the film is bumping along at an underwhelming level. Fortunately, the $20M production has already made back back its budget and should see a bump over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
6. The Imitation Game- $7.1M/$50.7M
7. Into the Woods- $6.5M/$114.2M
8. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies- $4.8M/$244.5M
9. Unbroken- $4.2M/$108.6M
10. Blackhat- $4M
And the first flop of 2015 goes to Michael Mann's techno-thriller Blackhat, which stars Chris Hemsworth as a brawny computer hacker. Apparently nobody wants to watch Thor jabbing away at a keyboard for two hours, and Mann's long since lost his cred as a box office draw. The film does have an international flavor and could perform better internationally, but that is something we'll have to wait and find out. 

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Box Office: 'Taken 3' Steals #1 with $40M; 'Selma' Opens with $11M

1. Taken 3- $40.4M
There was never any doubt that Taken 3 would be the first big hit of 2015. Of course that would be the case, and it's largely why these badly-reviewed movies keep opening when they do. Hyped as the final time for Liam Neeson to show off his "particular set of skills" as Bryan Mills, the film $40.4M opening is extraordinary given the poor response to Taken 2, which opened with $49M back in 2012 and ended up with $376M worldwide. These films have always had a strong international following and chances are Taken 3 will as well, and when all the numbers are added up it's going to be hard for Europa and 20th Century Fox to shut this franchise down no matter how much it needs to end.
2. Selma- $11.2M
After a modest Christmas Day debut to qualify for the Oscars, Ava DuVernay's Selma expanded to over 2000 theaters and earned a solid $11.2M. That's not bad given the $20M budget for the civil rights drama which centers on Martin Luther King's march for voting rights back in 1965. The film has had incredible word of mouth and a ton of Oscar buzz, and there seems to be a genuine movement to get people out to see it. For one thing, many people are pushing for DuVernay to succeed where so many other indie directors have failed when given the reigns to high-profile projects. While there has been some push back on some of the portrayals in the film that probably won't hurt its momentum. On the other hand Selma isn't quite the easy sell as last year's The Butler which had a marketable cast and could be positioned as less depressing than 12 Years a Slave.
3.Into the Woods- $9.7M/$105.2M
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies- $9.4M/$236.5M
5. Unbroken- $8.3M/$101.6M
6. The Imitation Game- $7.6M/$40.8M
7. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb- $6.7M/$99.5M
8. Annie- $4.9M/$79.4M
9. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death- $4.8M/$22.3M
10.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1- $3.7M/$329.5M

For an indication just how jam-packed the Oscar season can get, and how beneficial awards buzz can be, just take a look at the movie's on the bottom end of the scale. Reese Witherspoon's Wild continues to perform well with another $2.7M and $30.3M total; and American Sniper brought in another $555K in only four locations for a $3.1M haul before going wide release next week. Also debuting was Paul Thomas Anderson's druggie detective comedy Inherent Vice, which expanded and brought in $2.9M for a $4.8M total. Let's face it, Anderson's movies have never been big sellers (The Master only made $28M worldwide) and Inherent Vice comes with its own challenges such as the R-rating, genre, and '70s setting.

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Cinema Royale #86- 'Taken 3', 'Inherent Vice'; 'Selma' Interview with Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo

Happy New Year! Cinema Royale is kicking 2015 off right with a huge show! First off, my homie up north Christopher Bumbray joins me to talk about the latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson, the drugged-out detective comedy Inherent Vice! Plus it all ends here for Liam Neeson in Taken 3!

Plus, with the incredible Martin Luther King Jr. film Selma expanding into more theaters, Cinema Royale is joined by writer/director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo to talk about the making of this important civil rights drama.

Follow Cinema Royale on Facebook and get automatically entered into our monthly Blu-Ray giveaway! Subscribe to the show at  www.cinemaroyaleshow.com or on ITunes, TuneIn, and the Cinema Royale app!

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Review: 'Taken 3' starring Liam Neeson and Forest Whitaker

Well, after two formulaic  Taken flicks of grizzled old Liam Neeson kicking ass like a spry young chicken, those looking for something new have finally got their wish. Taken 3 breaks the mold for nigh indestructible badass ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills; there's nobody "taken' for once and instead of punching guys in the neck he actually has to work out the pieces of a mystery, one that has cost him something dear. Be careful what you wish for because watching Bryan follow clues is pretty lame when all anybody wants to see is him dispatching bad guys.

The first Taken worked because, hey, this is gentle soul Liam Neeson breaking a bunch of dudes in half to save his daughter. That's just cool to the ultimate degree. It should have ended there, though, and the sequel showed just how brittle the whole premise really was. Another family member gets swiped and tough guy Bryan is looking like the least protective parent ever. The only upside was the ending, which seemed like the perfect setup for an explosive wrap-up to the trilogy. It concluded with a vow that a vanquished foe's sons would continue the vendetta forever. So surely that's where Taken 3 goes, right? Nope. Instead it has practically zero continuity with the prior flicks...except that Bryan seems to have a knack for beating up anybody of questionable nationality. Instead much of the focus is on the personal connections between Bryan and his family, although these bonds hardly resonate because we know that in the end none of it matters; punching things does.

This time around Bryan is playing the good father to Kim (Maggie Grace) and the hovering ex-husband to Lenore (Famke Janssen), a fact which doesn't make her new husband Stuart (Dougray Scott) happy. The two former lovebirds can't stay away from one another, but when Bryan comes home to find her murdered, he becomes suspect numero uno and the target of top cop, Detective Dotzler (Forest Whitaker). Dotzler's a smart cookie; we know this because he plays with a rubber band and carries a chess piece. Seriously. The cops love doughnuts, too. This is a Luc Besson flick and subtlety is not one of his strengths.

So it's up to Bryan to clear his name, find the real culprit, and hit them in the nose really really hard.  The path to getting there is incredibly dull, though, with the action taking a serious backseat to Bryan's clue finding and personal issues. Kim is not only dealing with grief but also a sudden pregnancy, and Bryan is wondering how time flew by so fast. Awwww. Meanwhile the cops bumble around, including Dotzler, always one step behind Bryan and never really impeding his search. Is this not sounding like a Taken film to you? Try watching it. There are brief spells of action that allow the awesomely-named director Olivier Megaton to blow stuff up and flip cars, but they feel strangely disconnected from the rest of the film. Maybe it's the boring California locale. Bryan Mills and his "particular set of skills" were made for the grimy Slavic underbelly, not the sunbaked beaches of Cali. It's hard to figure exactly what Besson and co-writer Robert Mark Kamen were thinking. Surely they had to know this wouldn't be a satisfying payoff. But maybe that was the point? The die-hard fans will surely demand there be a Taken 4 to give Bryan a proper send-off with a proper body count.

 Rating: 2 out of 5

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Win Tickets to See 'Taken 3' in Theaters!

It all ends here for Liam Neeson's Bryan Mills in Taken 3! The action-packed trilogy comes to an explosive conclusion as Mills must go on the run after being framed for the murder of a loved one. The film is directed by Olivier Megaton and co-stars Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen. We're offering five of our DC readers a chance to win a pair of run-of-engagement passes to see Taken 3 in any AMC movie theater. The passes are good beginning Monday, January 12th.

Enter below for your chance to win! Taken 3 opens January 9th!

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Travis' 10 Must See Movies of January

Ahhh, January. The year always begins with such promise, and then the first month is generally filled with crapola. Mostly, but not completely. It's an annual argument I tend to have with my pal and WAFCA president Tim Gordon that January never has any good movies in it. That's simply not true. You just have to look a little bit harder to find them, but every month, even January, has stuff to get excited for. And this year in particular there are quite a few; enough that I had to think a little bit about what to include and what to leave off.

Also complicating the process is that many of January biggest films actually opened in December for qualifying Oscar runs. So you won't find movies like Selma, American Sniper, Inherent Vice, Leviathan, A Most Violent Year, Still Alice, or Two Days, One Night on this list. And keep in mind these are simply MY picks for the 10 movies I think will be worth checking out; the kind that I think could be worth plunking down a few bucks to see. I could be wrong. I'll try to do this every month if time allows.

Appropriate Behavior (January 16th)
Director: Desiree Akhavan
Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Scott Adsit, Rebecca Henderson, Anh Duong

I always show a little preference to movies I missed at Sundance (where I spend most of January), and one film I kept hearing about last year was Desiree Akhavan's off-beat rom-com, Appropriate Behavior. She writes, directs, and stars in the film about a politically correct bisexual Persian woman who tries to remain in her family's good graces while dealing with the realities of the Manhattan dating scene. It's been called funny and irreverent, and certainly the film doesn't resemble what we usually get from this tired old genre.

Blackhat (January 16th)
Director: Michael Mann
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei

Dude, it's Michael friggin' Mann! Any time he puts out a new film is a cause to stand up and take notice, and Blackhat couldn't get arriving in a more timely fashion. In the wake of the Sony hacking scandal a film about  cyber-terrorism could resonate with audiences in a major way....or they could be burned out on the subject and avoid it. We shall see. The film stars Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, as a prisoner released to aid a joint American/Chinese task force in taking down a global cyber-criminal.

Taken 3 (January 9th)
Director: Olivier Megaton
Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen, Sam Spruell, Jonny Weston, Dougray Scott

I'm only putting this on here because I'll happily pay to see this franchise end. Liam Neeson bashes in a few or skulls as ex-black ops dude Bryan Mills, and this time he'll need his particular set of skills to get out of a bum murder rap. Forest Whitaker joins the cast as the clueless top cop on his tail, proving once again that Whitaker is good for about one decent role per year surrounded by forgettable supporting performances like this.

Black Sea (January 23rd)
Director: Kevin MacDonald
Cast: Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Michael Smiley, Ben Mendelsohn

Speaking of Forest Whitaker, his The Last King of Scotland director Kevin MacDonald returns with Black Sea, a submarine thriller some have likened to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Cool deal, sign me up. I love a good submarine flick because they always come with a certain degree of paranoia and claustrophobia, which should be heavy with a cast like this. Jude Law stars as an unemployed ship captain who takes a job with a mysterious backer and motley crew to locate a stash of sunken gold, and of course things don't go according to plan.

The Taking of Tiger Mountain (January 2nd)
Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Tony Leung, Lin Gengxin, Zhang Hanyu

Chinese director Tsui Hark (Once Upon a Time in China, A Better Tomorrow) may no longer be making the classics he used to, but I still hold out hope for the massive 3D epic, The Taking of Tiger Mountain. It tells the true and oft-adapted story of a Communist soldier who infiltrated a group of bandits during the Chinese Civil War and helped destroy them from within.

The Humbling (January 23rd)
Director: Barry Levinson
Cast: Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig

Basically this one had me with "Greta Gerwig", but the film is actually pretty good. I saw it at the Virginia Film Festival a couple of months back and enjoyed the comedic power play between Al Pacino, who plays an aging actor trying to reclaim his mojo, and Gerwig as the flighty and much younger lesbian woman he falls in love with. Pacino hasn't been this tuned in to a role in a very long time, and I can honestly say this is the first adaptation of a Philip Roth novel that I've enjoyed. Perhaps Pacino and Levinson, who worked together on HBO's You Don't Know Jack, should make their partnership a recurring one.

Still Life (January 16th)
Director: Uberto Pasolini
Cast: Eddie Marsan, Joanne Froggatt, Karen Drury

Full confession: I had never heard of this film until a friend saw it at Filmfest DC last year and wouldn't stop raving about it. It stars Eddie Marsan, a wonderful character actor you probably know from The World's End and the Sherlock Holmes movies, and it centers on a lonely man whose job it is to prepare funerals and eulogies for those who have died alone. Fun stuff, eh? The film is directed by Uberto Pasolini and has won awards at the Venice and Abu Dhabi film festivals, with many noting its depth of humanity when dealing with the subject of grief. I'm merely hoping it's another fine showcase for Marsan, an actor who deserves more time in the spotlight.

Red Army (January 23rd)
Director: Gabe Polsky

Rare that a documentary ever enters my radar as a must-see film, but there has been so much strong buzz about Gabe Polsky's Red Army that I can't ignore it. Polsky caught my attention in 2013 with his stirring adaptation The Motel Life (starring Stephen Dorff, Emile Hirsch, and Dakota Fanning) and now he turns his attention to the Soviet Union's hockey dominance during and just after the Cold War. While I could care less about the sport itself, the politics of the time are what fascinate me and how the team's performance was such a huge part of Soviet propaganda. Plus I've heard the team members interviewed absolutely rip into former coach Viktor Tikhonov, who was known for being a ruthless dick.

The Wedding Ringer (January 16th)
Director: Jeremy Garelick
Cast: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Olivia Thirlby

I'll be honest with you, I think The Wedding Ringer looks pretty terrible, but I thought the same thing about Kevin Hart's other early-season comedies and they turned out okay. This one has him as a guy paid to be the best man for loser grooms with no friends. So it kind of looks like Wedding Crashers meets Hitch as Hart buddies up with Josh Gad, no doubt teaching him some kind of life lesson in-between the hijinks, dance-offs, and so forth. There will be more meaningful movies coming out this month but this one has the potential for the most laughs.

Mommy (review here, opens January 23rd)
Director: Xavier Dolan
Cast: Antoine Olivier-Pilon, Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clement

Duh, you knew this had to end up here somewhere. It made my top 10 best movies of the year and was a film I called "electric" and "life-affirming" with emotions too big for the screen to handle. Xavier Dolan's best film yet features a trio of incredible performances, led by Anne Dorval as a single mother who finds her world turned upside down when her violent son (Olivier-Pilon) returns home. What begins as a tense, potentially dangerous soap opera evolves into a unique, hopeful story (with a wonderfully eclectic soundtrack) about the power of maternal love.

A few honorable mentions: Jennifer Aniston's gaining some buzz (and a Golden Globes nomination) for her dramatic performance in Cake, and I would say she's the only reason to see it. Fans of cuddly bears who don't go into profanity-laced tirades may want to check out the CGI/live-action Paddington, starring Nicole Kidman and featuring the voice of Ben Whishaw. Ewan McGregor, Brenton Thwaites, and Alicia Vikander pull off a heist in the crime thriller, Son of a Gun. Hey Star Wars fans! George Lucas has a new movie coming out but it's the animated fantasy, Strange Magic. Sorry. Those looking for a scare may want to check out The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, a sequel that unfortunately features 100% less Daniel Radcliffe. And Benicio Del Toro is more than worth the price of admission as notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in the kooky action flick, Escobar: Paradise Lost (review here), which also stars Josh Hutcherson.

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Everybody Keeps Taking Liam Neeson's Sh*t in New 'Taken 3' Video and Clip

Given how grim and serious the Taken movies tend to be it's good that Liam Neeson and 20th Century Fox are having some fun with the "finale", Taken 3. They already released the "12 Kills of Christmas' promo over the holidays, and now they're at it again with a silly little music video titled "Stop Taking My Shit". It's basically another chance to show Neeson beating up folks, but it starts off with people actually stealing Neeson's stuff right out from under him until he gets pissed.

That's followed by a brand new clip courtesy of Joblo that shows just how easily ex-Black Ops dude Bryan Mills (Neeson) can get off the grid after being framed for murder. Just one call, a couple of loaded guns, some angry music, and he's done.

Directed by Olivier Megaton and co-starring Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen, Taken 3 opens January 9th.

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Liam Neeson Celebrates the 12 Skills of Christmas in New 'Taken 3' Promo

If there is a Taken 4 it should involve Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) deciding to stay on his couch and watch TV because every time he leaves the house someone gets kidnapped, he gets kidnapped, or some criminal plots revenge. Having that much drama must make it hard to celebrate the holidays, or at least it would if he didn't have a particular set of skills to command.

20th Century Fox's latest promo for Taken 3 is a bit awkward, showing off Mills' "12 Skills of Christmas" to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas". Eh. I guess this is something the marketing department thought would be clever for the holiday but it's just kind of silly. Better is a clip that features co-star Forest Whittaker as a CIA agent tracking Mills down over a crime he didn't commit.

Also starring Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen with Olivier Megaton as director, Taken 3 opens January 9th.

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Liam Neeson is a Wanted Fugitive in First Trailer for 'Taken 3'...er, 'Tak3n'

At the end of Taken 2, badass ex-CIA dude Bryan Mills was targeted by the father of a man he killed in the first movie. Before Mills could get his ultimate revenge, the father promised that his other sons would be seeking payback. The endless cycle of violence continues now in Taken 3 (or Tak3n), but instead of the usual "I will find you" nonsense we're used to, Mills will find himself on the run from the law.

The first trailer for Taken 3 has arrived and it actually looks like they're trying to do something a bit differently for once. Neeson is back as Bryan Mills and, after what appears to be a rekindled romance with his wife, is forced to go on the run when he's framed for murder. Forest Whitaker is a new addition to the cast as the officer assigned to bringing Mills to justice. Good luck with that. Maggie Grace also returns as Mills' oft-distressed daughter, Kim. 

Luc Besson protegee Oliver Megaton returns to direct Taken 3, which opens January 9th 2015, right where it belongs. Neeson has said this would be the end but that's exactly what he said after the last two movies.


TAKEN 3 Official Trailer (2015) Liam Nesson by Trailersstv

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First Look at Liam Neeson in 'Taken 3'

In theaters right now is A Walk Among the Tombstones, a mystery thriller starring Liam Neeson that the studio hoped would attract the crowd who loved him in Taken. That's pretty much been the approach for every Neeson film since he became Hollywood's top action star; marketing them to resemble his butt-kicking role as ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills with his particular "set of skills". But next year the real thing returns when Taken 3 hits theaters, and now the first photos have arrived courtesy of USA Today.

Judging by these images, Taken 3 will look a lot like Taken and Taken 2, meaning lots of Neeson looking very angry, Maggie Grace looking distraught, and...oh, there's Forest Whitaker. That's something different, at least. There's also a slightly different twist on the story as Mills becomes the prey after after being framed for the murder of someone he's close to.

Neeson: "I have to go on the run. I'll put it that way, from the not-so-lawful types and the lawful authorities. Bryan Mills served his country faithfully, but now even they are after him. They must not like me."

The last film ended with Mills killing the chief bad guy (of course it did), but not before he promised his sons would seek revenge. Could this have something to do with it? The awesomely-named Olivier Megaton is back in the director's chair for Taken 3, which opens January 9th 2015. Expect the first trailer to drop very soon.

 

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Joe Manganiello will 'Tumbledown'; Scott Caan to 'Rock the Kasbah'; Jonny Weston Joins 'Taken 3'

* Joe Manganiello, who can be seen right now in Sabotage and will return for Magic Mike XXL, has joined the cast of Tumbledown as production gets moving. He joins Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, and the newly-cast Dianna Agron (The Family), Griffin Dunne, Richard Masur, and Blythe Danner in the story of a widow struggling to write a biography about her late husband, a famous musician. That changes when she meets a brash New York academic with a different take on her husband's life and death. The unlikely pair must collaborate to craft the famous singer’s story and begin to write the next chapter in their lives together. Sean Mewshew is directing.

* With Shia LaBeouf making a public spectacle out of his need for privacy, the actor left the Barry Levinson comedy, Rock the Kasbah. And it didn't take long for him to be replaced, as Variety reports Scott Caan has joined the all-star ensemble. Bill Murray plays a washed up rock music manager stranded in Kabul, who discovers a new talent on the reality competition show, Afghan Star. Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, Danny McBride, and Bruce Willis co-star.

* With Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen set to get taken again in Taken 3, some new blood has come aboard with the addition of Jonny Weston. He got his start in the surf drama Chasing Mavericks and will be seen next year in the Michael Bay-produced time travel film Project Almanac. Taken 3 opens next year on January 9th.

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Fox Dates Secret Marvel Film, 'Fantastic Four 2', 'The Wolverine 2', 'Taken 3, and Mystery Ridley Scott Film

Bryan Singer isn't the only one looking way into the future of his X-men franchise, 20th Century Fox has their plans laid out all the way through 2018. The studio has just set in stone a number of release dates for their superhero line-up, Taken 3, plus a couple of projects shrouded in mystery.

Let's start off on the Marvel side, with Fox slating James Mangold's sequel to The Wolverine for March 3rd 2017. Mangold has recently stated filming will begin once Singer wraps up on X-men: Apocalypse, but as it stands right now Hugh Jackman is not confirmed to come back. He likely will, it just hasn't happened yet.

While there were rumors of a creative shake-up on Josh Trank's Fantastic Four, that's in the past and Fox is confident enough to set the sequel for July 14th 2017. It's too early to know if Trank will return although it doesn't seem likely considering he didn't bother coming back for Chronicle 2.

Strangely enough, Fox has also set a date of July 18th 2018 for a mystery Marvel project. The natural assumption is this will be an off-shoot of Fantastic Four or X-men, with Jeff Wadlow's developing X-force film likely to be in that slot. It's always possible someone has finally decided to green light Deadpool, but we'll just have to wait and see on that.

Also getting release dates are Taken 3, the Liam Neeson-actioner being set for January 9th 2015. Paul McGuigan's Frankenstein, which stars Daniel Radcliffe, has been pushed back nine months to October 2nd 2015.

There's also a secret Ridley Scott project that Fox has slated for March 4th 2016. Could this be his oft-rumored Prometheus sequel? Scott has more projects on his calendar than most directors have actually completed, so it could be anything.

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Famke Janssen Back for 'Taken 3'; Guy Pearce Boards 'Black Mass'; Adeel Akhtar is Smee in 'Pan'

* For a movie that promises nobody will be taken, everybody who was taken before seems to be returning. Famke Janssen has agreed to come back for Taken 3, joining Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace as members of Mills clan. It's always been kind of weird seeing Janssen, who traditionally has played very tough, strong women characters relegated to such a helpless role, but maybe she'll get a chance to show a little more this time. Eh, doubtful. Taken 3 will again be directed by Olivier Megaton.

* Guy Pearce has joined Black Mass, the Whitey Bulger biopic fronted by Johnny Depp and co-starring Joel Edgerton. Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace) is directing the film which centers on Bulger, the Boston mobster and FBI informant who used his dual position to gain power in the criminal ranks. With the help of his childhood friends, who happened to be FBI agents, he escaped arrest and went on the run until his capture in 2011. Pearce will play one of Bulger's two brothers. [Variety]

* Finally, a little bit of that international flavor Joe Wright promised for his Peter Pan origin story, Pan. Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions) has been cast as Smee, the right hand-man to Garrett Hedlund's Captain Hook. They join Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard and Rooney Mara as the Native American princess, Tiger Lily. Pan is set to open July 17th 2015. [TheWrap]

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Maggie Grace Returns for 'Taken 3'; Olivia Cooke Eyes 'Me & Earl & the Dying Girl'

* Well, Liam Neeson has said nobody will be taken in Taken 3, which means Maggie Grace will have to find something new to do. She has been confirmed to return for the action film as the daughter of specially-skilled agent Bryan Mills. The awesomely named Olivier Megaton is directing, and Forest Whitaker has been rumored for a supporting role. She's also snagged the female lead in an upcoming CBS comedy exec-produced by John Cusack. Meh. [Deadline]

* Olivia Cooke, who is terrific on Bates Motel, is in talks for the lead role in Me & Earl & the Dying Girl, which surprisingly enough is described as a coming-of-age story in the vein of a John Hughes movie. Jesse Andrews wrote the original novel and adapted the Black List-approved screenplay which "follows a quirky high school student in Pittsburgh who is forced by his mother to befriend a sick girl he once knew when they attended Hebrew school together. Well-liked by every clique in school without actually belonging to any of them, the young man's commitment to the new friendship changes his life." Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is directing. [TheWrap]

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Forest Whitaker Joining 'Taken 3'; Olivier Megaton Returning as Director

Liam Neeson may have fought against Taken 2 for a little while, but ultimately he gave in and the film was an even bigger hit, totaling more than $370M. While he expressed some doubt about a Taken 3 for a little while, a healthy paycheck soon quieted all that talk, and now the film is moving forward with a familiar face directing and an Oscar-winning actor coming aboard.

According to Deadline, Olivier Megaton (he of the superhero monicker) is coming back to direct Taken 3, with Forest Whitaker in talks to join in an unspecified role. Maggie Grace is expected back as the daughter of Neeson's specially-skilled agent Bryan Mills, and it's a wonder which member of the family will be kidnapped by non-descript foreigners this time.

Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen will pen the script, as usual, with a speedy production set to begin this March.

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