I Wouldn't Count On a Liam Neeson-Absent Taken 2

File this under "Dumbshits, if they go through with it."

Due to a case of scheduling disagreements and surprisingly not money, there's a chance the filmmakers of Taken 2 might move forward without Liam Neeson says "TOLDJA."

Things have progressed so far as producer Luc Besson drumming up a list of available replacements including Sean Bean, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Mickey Rourke and Ray Winstone. All fine actors and all we could see in ass-kicker mode.

But we're talking about Taken, a movie that much to the surprise of everyone (including its own studio 20^th Century Fox) became a smash-hit despite being dumped on Superbowl 2009 weekend, and Neeson, an actor who audiences have clung to since the tragic passing of his wife and his "I will find you" speech. There wasn't a parent who saw that who didn't identify thinking, "Yeah, I'd hunt down anyone who hurt my child" and Neeson became the face of that sentiment.

Doing a Taken sequel without Neeson is on the level of executive-stupidity as a Jason Bourne movie without Jason Bourne. Something the studio and filmmakers appear to understand since they're working to arrange a schedule allowing Neeson to take a break as per his request.