Liam Neeson’s return as ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills in Taken 2 easily topped the North American box office on its opening weekend, industry figures showed. The film, whose prequel relaunched Neeson as a Hollywood action star four years ago, took in a healthy $49.5 million between Friday and Sunday, said movie tracker Exhibitor Relations.
In second place this weekend was Hotel Transylvania, where animated monsters become Dracula’s guests, taking in $27.1 million – down from the top spot one week ago.
Pitch Perfect, a teen comedy-musical, was in third, with $14.8 million in takings.
In fourth place, with $12.1 million, was Looper, a mob movie starring Bruce Willis, just ahead of Frankenweenie, Tim Burton’s latest effort, which earned $11.4 million.
Cop drama End of Watch with Jake Gyllenhaal was in sixth place, on lowly takings of $4 million, followed by Clint Eastwood’s Trouble with the Curve, about a baseball recruiter losing his sight, on $3.8 million.