After passing the symbolic $100 million milestone this weekend, Taken is hailed as the most popular and most lucrative French film of all time in the United States.
Released five weeks ago, Pierre Morel’s film Taken posted $108 million in box office receipts yesterday (representing 15.4 million spectators), thus setting a new record for French films in the United States. This Luc Besson production has outshined the performances of La Marche de l'empereur (The Emperor's Journey, released in the USA as March of the Penguins) and Le Cinquième Élément (The Fifth Element), which had previously held the records for box office takings (for The Emperor's Journey, with $77 million) and admissions (for The Fifth Element, with 13.5 million spectators).
Dropping back by just 12% at the box office this weekend, the Fox-distributed film looks set to reach $130 million by the end of its run.
Taken is also standing its ground in the international arena. Credited with 25 million spectators, it has surpassed results for Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amelie, 23 million admissions) and The Emperor's Journey (20 million admissions), stamping itself as the second most-seen French film in international theaters to date. The film faces a tough challenge, however, to match the impressive 35 million admissions score earned by The Fifth Element.
