“The Hobbit” “Taken” down by Liam Neeson at the box office

“The Hobbit” has been “Taken” down.

Liam Neeson – aka Bryan Mills – saw his “Taken 3” take over the top box office spot from the legendary "Hobbit" creatures and their five armies this weekend.

“Taken 3” even banished wicked witch Meryl Streep and her “Into the Woods” movie to way down the top box office. At $ 40 million gross “Taken 3” is the second most successful of the three-film franchise.

Neeson, from Antrim in Northern Ireland, plays a vengeance-seeking former CIA operative named Bryan Mills with "a very particular set of skills."

The film also features Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen.

The first “Taken” debuted in 2009 grossing $24.7 million, while "Taken 2" launched in 2012 with $49.5 million.

The pressure will now be on for a “Taken 4,” something Neeson has said he will resist. But he said the same before “Taken 3.”

"For Neeson to be at this stage in his career and be considered one of the premier action heroes is certainly unexpected, but it's really cool and lucrative," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at box-office tracker Rentrak speaking to AP.

"I don't think Neeson expected back in '09 that 'Taken' would take off the way it has. It's really enhanced his box-office appeal."

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" slunk down to just $9.4 million, while Streep's movie made $9.7 million.