Box Office: Liam Neeson’s ‘Taken 3’ Starts Off Strong

Liam Neeson’s Taken 3 is off to a strong start at the box office, earning $1.6 million Thursday night at 2,499 domestic theaters.

The third installment, produced by Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp and distributed by Fox, narrowly bested 2012’s Taken 2 Thursday showing of $1.5 million, and is just behind the $1.7 million earned by Lone Survivor a year ago. Taken 2 finished its premiere weekend with $49.5 million and went on to earn $145 million domestically, while the original Taken bowed to $24.7 million back in 2009 and concluded with $139 million.

Analysts predict that Taken 3 will debut to roughly $30 million this weekend when it expands to 3,593 locations. Costing $48 million to produce, the film is on track to dethrone the reigning victor The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies for the No. 1 spot at the box office.

Below is the film’s official movie synopsis, courtesy of Fox:

Liam Neeson returns as ex-covert operative Bryan Mills, whose reconciliation with his ex-wife is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered. Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to evade the relentless pursuit of the CIA, FBI and the police. For one last time, Mills must use his “particular set of skills,” to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter.

Currently, Taken 3 is deeming more favorably to moviegoers, receiving a 74 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes in comparison to critic’s dismaying 9 percent rating.

Another film expanding nationwide is Ava DuVernay’s Selma, which earned $400,000 Thursday night at over 1,600 theaters. The biopic initially received a limited Christmas release in only 22 theaters.

Selma stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. and follows the story of a movement that forever changed history. The critically acclaimed civil rights drama presently holds an outstanding 98 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and is predicted to finish second with about $15 million or more as it debuts in 2,179 theaters. To date, the award contender’s domestic total is $2.2 million.

New Line-MGM’s The Hobbit, which has been running strong for the past three weeks, is expected to finish in third place with about $13 million for the weekend. The trilogy finale earned $1.4 million on Thursday and has an accumulated domestic total of $227.1 million.

Which movie are you planning to see this weekend?