Taken 3 tops North American box office with $40 million

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies has been overtaken by Taken 3 at the top of the North American box office chart after spending three weeks in the top spot.

Liam Neeson’s thriller sequel took $40.4 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates.

Civil rights drama Selma came second with $11.2 million. Disney’s Into the Woods was third with $9.7 million.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies dropped from first to fourth place, earning $9.4 million.

The Taken franchise has seen Liam Neeson, 62, become one of Hollywood’s most successful action heroes.

Liam Neeson plays a former CIA agent Bryan Mills, who has the famous line: “I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.”

The original Taken opened in 2009 with first weekend receipts of $24.7 million, while Taken 2 debuted in 2012 with $49.5 million.