Irish actor Liam Neeson is reportedly very close to secure a whopping $20 million deal to reprise his role in Taken 3.

The 61-year-old played the retired CIA agent Bryan Mills in the first two movies of the franchise. Taken 2 raked over $375 million globally last year and it seems that plans for the third installment of the franchise is already underway.

Neeson reportedly received $15 million for his role in Taken 2, and producers are to have given him a $5 million increase in order to keep him onboard the next film.

Deadline.com reports that the script is already being written for Taken 3, with production set to begin in February 2014.

Taken, which was filmed with a relatively low budget of $25 million, hit the box office in 2008 and brought in over $226 million worldwide. The film has been cited as a turning point for Neeson's career in defining him as a successful action film star.

The first two films in the Taken series also stars Neeson's on-screen ex-wife Famke Janssen and onscreen daughter Maggie Grace.

Liam Neeson is best known for his roles in Schindler's List, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins and Darkman.

He has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.