Since the late 1990s, Jason Statham has cemented himself as a serious action hero, yet there is one role that he hasn’t played, and his peers believe he never will. Statham got his start in 1998 when he appeared in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. From there, he continued collaborating with Ritchie before transitioning into other action roles, from The Transporter to The Expendables. With every new project, Statham proves more and more that he was born to be an action star, but there is one type of character that is surprisingly not on his resume.
At the moment, Statham is at an interesting point in his career. In 2023, he garnered attention for his movie, The Beekeeper, which was a sleeper hit, earning $153 million at the box office and a 71% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Though Statham has been the leading man before, The Beekeeper showed that with the right script, Statham can lead a truly riveting and exciting action movie. In this way, Statham may be embarking on a new era of his career, but that doesn’t mean he will stray too far from what he’s used to.
Jason Statham Still Hasn’t Done A Superhero Movie
The Action Hero To Superhero Pipeline Explained
Considering how accomplished Statham is as an action star, many may be surprised to learn that he has never been in a superhero film. Statham has enjoyed a long and fruitful career, but almost every movie on his resume is a pure action movie with no sign of out-of-this-world powers or red capes. In reality, the closest Statham has ever really gotten to superheroes are his many franchises, and in particular, The Meg, because of its fantastical fish. But, thus far, Statham has never gotten to be the morally upstanding superhero in the Marvel or DC Universe.
This Statham fact is especially surprising considering how easily action movies cross over with superhero movies. It is very common for action stars to become superheroes, and for superheroes to become action stars. For example, Dwayne Johnson started out as an action hero, which eventually led him to become Black Adam. On the other hand, actors like Mark Ruffalo were never really considered action stars, but due to his role as the Hulk, he is now able to work in that genre. In this way, Statham transitioning to superhero films would be easy, yet it’s never happened.
Why Jason Statham Might Never Do A Superhero Film
Why It’s Better For Statham To Avoid Superhero Movies
Those who see Statham’s lack of a superhero role as a golden opportunity may be disappointed to learn that the actor has no desire to play a superhero. In an interview with Variety, Statham explained that he was far more interested in classic 80s action movies than he is in characters who wear capes and тιԍнтs. Statham’s resume proves this, as he has often starred alongside iconic 80s action stars, from Sylvester Stallone to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Clearly, Statham has long held this view, and has stuck to it throughout his career.
Arguably, it is better for Statham to avoid joining any superhero franchises. Although action and superheroes are obvious companions to each other, sometimes it is nice to keep them separate. Action movies don’t need superheroes, and even superheroes don’t need action at times. Statham represents a different kind of action hero, and his restraint in picking roles makes him stand out among the crowd. All in all, Jason Statham doesn’t need to be super to be an on-screen hero.
