Liam Neeson's 'Taken 2' payday: $10 million (or more?)

How lucky did Liam Neeson get with "Taken"? He was paid a relatively routine salary between $1-2 million for the 2009 surprise action hit. But no one was expecting a sequel.

Since Neeson wasn't under contract to return to the role, his payday for "Taken 2" jumped to at least $10 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Or maybe closer to $12 million, according to Deadline, which adds that Neeson likely stands to make even more depending on the film's final box office gross. So far, "Taken 2" has raked in over $126 million worldwide in just a few days (it opened in most territories on Oct. 5, but launched a week earlier in South Korea).

While the entertainment news sites don't agree on Neeson's salary, they do agree that Neeson's growing paycheck will be a significant hurdle to the possibility of a "Taken 3." With "Taken 2" performing so well at the box office, Neeson is now in a prime position to command even more money to return. Assuming he has any interest in trying a threequel.

What do you think? Is there any need for a "Taken 3"?