Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
09-17-15, 08:39 PM
#1
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
http://deadline.com/2015/09/taken-pr...on-1201532541/
EXCLUSIVE: Luc Besson’s thriller Taken, starring Liam Neeson as a retired CIA operative on a one-man mission to save his kidnapped daughter, struck a cord with Luc Besson's 'Twice' To Be Directed by 'Mesrine' Jean-Francois Richetith viewers, becoming a surprise boxoffice hit that spawned two sequels and turned Neeson into an unlikely 60-year-old action star. Now Besson is expanding the Taken franchise into television with a prequel drama about a young Bryan Mills, which has landed a straight-to-series order at NBC. Search is underway for a writer/showrunner to spearhead the adaptation. The series will be a co-production between Besson’s studio EuropaCorp. and Universal TV.
I hear in Taken the series, Bryan Mills, the character played by Neeson in the movies, is a young man with no wife and kids. The series’ premise pays an homage to the movies as it references one of the films’ most popular quotes, part of Mill’s famous speech to one of the thugs suspected in the kidnapping of his daughter, “What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career; Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.” The series will focus on how Mills acquires his “very particular set of skills” and becomes the character we all know. The series will bend time as it will be set in modern day, not decades in the past.
Now here's the question. Who would be a good young Bryan? and I assume Sam would be part of this too since they've talked about their past missions in the movies.
EXCLUSIVE: Luc Besson’s thriller Taken, starring Liam Neeson as a retired CIA operative on a one-man mission to save his kidnapped daughter, struck a cord with Luc Besson's 'Twice' To Be Directed by 'Mesrine' Jean-Francois Richetith viewers, becoming a surprise boxoffice hit that spawned two sequels and turned Neeson into an unlikely 60-year-old action star. Now Besson is expanding the Taken franchise into television with a prequel drama about a young Bryan Mills, which has landed a straight-to-series order at NBC. Search is underway for a writer/showrunner to spearhead the adaptation. The series will be a co-production between Besson’s studio EuropaCorp. and Universal TV.
I hear in Taken the series, Bryan Mills, the character played by Neeson in the movies, is a young man with no wife and kids. The series’ premise pays an homage to the movies as it references one of the films’ most popular quotes, part of Mill’s famous speech to one of the thugs suspected in the kidnapping of his daughter, “What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career; Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.” The series will focus on how Mills acquires his “very particular set of skills” and becomes the character we all know. The series will bend time as it will be set in modern day, not decades in the past.
Now here's the question. Who would be a good young Bryan? and I assume Sam would be part of this too since they've talked about their past missions in the movies.
09-17-15, 08:45 PM
#2
DVD Talk God
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
I don't know who would be good to play the role, but make this a great action show, and i am in.
09-17-15, 09:04 PM
#4
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
I'm not interested in keeping up with a tv series on Taken.
I felt the 2nd and 3rd movies were just milking a dead cow.
Really enjoyed the first movie but it honestly should have ended there.
I may have watched this prequel if it was a movie, but I just don't see me spending 10+ hours watching a season of this.
I felt the 2nd and 3rd movies were just milking a dead cow.
Really enjoyed the first movie but it honestly should have ended there.
I may have watched this prequel if it was a movie, but I just don't see me spending 10+ hours watching a season of this.
09-18-15, 08:35 AM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
It just seems to me without Neeson and without the 'somebody gets Taken' hook, this will just be a standard 'action badass'. Not that this couldn't necessarily be fun, but at that point the 'prequel' element just becomes a burden if the show actually turns out to be good.
09-18-15, 08:44 AM
#7
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
In the movie threads, wasn't everyone saying they would rather have a prequel movie than ANOTHER sequel where someone is "taken"? Now we're getting it and it's not a popular idea? Is it the lack of Neeson or that it's in TV form? Probably...
If it's like Strike Back...or even the first season of Human Target it could be OK. But I won't hold my breath.
If it's like Strike Back...or even the first season of Human Target it could be OK. But I won't hold my breath.
09-18-15, 11:48 AM
#8
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
In the movie threads, wasn't everyone saying they would rather have a prequel movie than ANOTHER sequel where someone is "taken"? Now we're getting it and it's not a popular idea? Is it the lack of Neeson or that it's in TV form? Probably...
If it's like Strike Back...or even the first season of Human Target it could be OK. But I won't hold my breath.
If it's like Strike Back...or even the first season of Human Target it could be OK. But I won't hold my breath.
That's not to say that it wont be a real kickass, action oriented spy story. It could.
09-18-15, 11:57 AM
#10
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
For me, what worked best about the first movie was mostly Neeson. First of all, he was believable as an aging, retired badass because he actually is an aging badass. The premise of the film fit perfectly with him. At the time, the idea of "what happens to a badass spy after he gets old" was a unique one. Now, not so much as the sequels, as well as other films, have sort of beat it to death. Spin the story back in time, and you simply have a spy tale, of which there are tons. You lose what made Taken unique. Unless there is some other hook that I am missing.
That's not to say that it wont be a real kickass, action oriented spy story. It could.
That's not to say that it wont be a real kickass, action oriented spy story. It could.
09-18-15, 12:05 PM
#11
DVD Talk Hero
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Who knows, how are the Transporter and Dusk Til Dawn series turning out?
Fargo worked because it was so well done with a whole new cast, I've only seen the pilot but Limitless works alright because it's more or less a direct sequel to the movie.
Taken could work, but it will live and die on the casting.
Fargo worked because it was so well done with a whole new cast, I've only seen the pilot but Limitless works alright because it's more or less a direct sequel to the movie.
Taken could work, but it will live and die on the casting.
09-18-15, 02:51 PM
#12
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10-19-15, 01:07 PM
#13
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re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
http://deadline.com/2015/10/taken-nb...er-1201587084/
Alexander Cary, a former EP/writer on Homeland, was hired as showrunner and head writer. He will write the Pilot. Cary is also former special forces, so he has some credibility to write this. He served in Operation Desert Storm.
Sounds like a good hire to me.
Alexander Cary, a former EP/writer on Homeland, was hired as showrunner and head writer. He will write the Pilot. Cary is also former special forces, so he has some credibility to write this. He served in Operation Desert Storm.
Sounds like a good hire to me.
02-22-16, 03:48 PM
#14
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
http://deadline.com/2016/02/taken-nb...ls-1201707086/
Taken, NBC’s straight-to-series adaptation of the hit movie franchise, has cast its lead, tapping The Vikings co-star Clive Standen to play younger Bryan Mills, the character portrayed in the movies by Liam Neeson.
Taken TV series is a modern-day prequel to the film franchise that depicts how Bryan Mills (Standen) developed and sharpened his particular set of skills. EuropaCorp TV USA and Universal Television are producing.
British actor Standen has been playing one of the central characters, Rollo, on History’s hit drama The Vikings, which is currently airing its fourth season, with a Season 5 renewal expected soon. Standen is segueing to Taken after completing has obligations on the History drama, filming the two 10-episode parts of Season 4. I hear his character is not being killed off, so there is a possibility for him to appear as a guest star in Season 5 though there are no current plans for that. He is repped by CAA, UK’s Independent Talent Group and Management 360.
Taken TV series is a modern-day prequel to the film franchise that depicts how Bryan Mills (Standen) developed and sharpened his particular set of skills. EuropaCorp TV USA and Universal Television are producing.
British actor Standen has been playing one of the central characters, Rollo, on History’s hit drama The Vikings, which is currently airing its fourth season, with a Season 5 renewal expected soon. Standen is segueing to Taken after completing has obligations on the History drama, filming the two 10-episode parts of Season 4. I hear his character is not being killed off, so there is a possibility for him to appear as a guest star in Season 5 though there are no current plans for that. He is repped by CAA, UK’s Independent Talent Group and Management 360.
03-02-16, 08:47 PM
#15
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
http://deadline.com/2016/03/taken-mi...ie-1201713537/
Michael Irby, probably best known from The Unit, was cast as Bryan's buddy Sam. He will be a series regular.
Michael Irby, probably best known from The Unit, was cast as Bryan's buddy Sam. He will be a series regular.
03-02-16, 08:57 PM
#16
DVD Talk God
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Good. He has been good in most everything I have seen him in. 
03-03-16, 07:33 PM
#17
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Just don't see how a premise like this can work, these days, under all the FCC constraints imposed on the Networks.
Relative to Strike Back, is there anything NBC can do to compete, under its no-swearing-no-nudity-no-crazy-violence rules, while still getting the huge demographic ratings it needs to support itself?
Put it on HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Netflix, etc. and I'm in.
Relative to Strike Back, is there anything NBC can do to compete, under its no-swearing-no-nudity-no-crazy-violence rules, while still getting the huge demographic ratings it needs to support itself?
Put it on HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Netflix, etc. and I'm in.
03-03-16, 08:02 PM
#18
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Just don't see how a premise like this can work, these days, under all the FCC constraints imposed on the Networks.
Relative to Strike Back, is there anything NBC can do to compete, under its no-swearing-no-nudity-no-crazy-violence rules, while still getting the huge demographic ratings it needs to support itself?
Put it on HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Netflix, etc. and I'm in.
Relative to Strike Back, is there anything NBC can do to compete, under its no-swearing-no-nudity-no-crazy-violence rules, while still getting the huge demographic ratings it needs to support itself?
Put it on HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Netflix, etc. and I'm in.
on network TV.The Taken movies were PG-13 and most action driven network shows are equivalent to PG-13 content.
03-03-16, 08:25 PM
#19
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
I'll check it out, but the edgier, smaller-audience stuff on cable and streaming are more my thing these days. They can just tell stories more vividly.
03-03-16, 11:43 PM
#20
DVD Talk Hero
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Outside of graphic swearing and full nudity, network television has become harder and harder edged in the past three years. There isn't that much difference when a broadcast network pushes the envelope now from cable.
03-04-16, 11:08 AM
#21
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
American Crime Story, Sons of Anarchy, Fargo, Strike Back, Billions, True Detective (S1
), etc. etc. etc.vs.
BlackList, Person of Interest, CSI, the other CSI, and that other CSI, Scandal, Castle, etc. etc.
The networks try to appeal to a huge audience with procedurals, blandness, family-friendly, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The edgy, creative stuff, sometimes exceptionally well-written as well, is on cable and streaming.
Just my opinion, and I may be proven wrong, but playing the odds: Do ya want a Castle version of Taken, or a Strike Back version of Taken? Which one is NBC more likely to deliver? Guess we'll see. I'll tune in and give it a try for sure.
Last edited by cowtown; 03-04-16 at 11:14 AM.
03-04-16, 12:41 PM
#22
DVD Talk Hero
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Hannibal was about as dark and gruesome as anything on cable. If I had to guess the level of violence for Taken on TV, expect something close to The Blacklist.
03-15-16, 07:52 PM
#23
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
Jennifer Beals signs on to play the female lead: http://deadline.com/2016/03/taken-je...es-1201721075/
05-16-16, 12:55 PM
#24
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
For those who didn't read the NBC Fall schedule thread, this will air midseason next year. So most likely January or February of 2017.
According to the synopsis, this is a modern say setting, but this is supposed to be Bryan Mills 30 years before his character on the Taken movies.
05-16-16, 04:22 PM
#25
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
re: Taken -- Prequel to movie series -- Coming to NBC in 2017
