Standen, left, and Neeson in 'Taken' John Shearer/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly; Courtesy of © Twentieth Century Fox Film/Photofest
Clive Standen will take on the role played by Liam Neeson in the 2008 feature film.
NBC has found its young Liam Neeson.
Vikings star Clive Standen is set to take on the role of Bryan Mills in NBC's straight-to-series Taken prequel, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The drama is described as a modern-day prequel to Luc Besson's feature of the same name that starred Neeson as retired CIA operative Bryan Mills on a one-man mission to save his kidnapped daughter. The series will illustrate how a young Bryan develops his skills.
Standen, who has played Rollo since the start on History's Vikings drama, will take on the role of Bryan — the hero recruited to be a black ops agent in the elite Emergency Covert Action Team.
Homeland's Alexander Cary will pen the script and exec produce the drama, with Besson attached to executive produce the series alongside Matthew Gross, Edouard de Vesinne and Thomas Anargyros. Alex Graves will direct the pilot.
The drama is a co-production between Europa Corp TV and Universal Television. For Besson, Taken becomes his latest movie to be adapted for TV. It joins La Femme Nikita and Transporter.
Standen's credits include starring as Rollo for all 30-plus episodes of History scripted series Rollo. His credits include Starz drama Camelot, features Everest and the upcoming Patient Zero. He's repped by CAA and Management 360.
Keep up with all the latest pickups, castings and eventual series orders with THR's handy guide to pilot season.
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