Jason Statham is in the midst of a great three-movie trend with A Working Man, but the end of it is already drawing close. If there was ever any doubt about Statham’s continued marketability as an action lead, the last two years have done a remarkable job of removing those thoughts. A Working Man is the second collaboration between Statham and director David Ayer, with 2024’s The Beekeeper marking the first. While the former is only just beginning its theatrical run and made $15.5 million in its opening weekend, the latter was a major success, grossing $162 million worldwide.
The box office success that Statham is experiencing comes on the back of his ability to be part of major franchises. He’s been a recurring fixture in the Fast & Furious and The Expendables movies for years. However, there’s a notable difference between Jason Statham’s action franchises and what he’s currently doing. It makes the streak that he’s on a bit more impressive considering the types of movies that the star is turning into hits. The only issue is that the trend is already set to break in the near future.
Jason Statham Is In The Middle Of A Standalone Action Movie Trend
He’s Been Staying Away From Sequels Recently
It’s easy to ᴀssociate Jason Statham with franchise and sequels, but he’s turned away from them recently. A Working Man is part of his effort to get back to standalone action movies that don’t require audiences to have seen several previous installments. This focus began in 2023 with The Beekeeper. Statham and Ayer’s action movie was a completely original story and concept. While the film became successful enough to launch a franchise, with The Beekeeper 2 on the way, it was still a standalone adventure offering something fresh to audiences.
A Working Man is another standalone movie, although with one significant difference to The Beekeeper. Whereas the latter was an opportunity to launch an entirely new character, A Working Man is an adaptation of Chuck Dixon’s “Levon’s Trade” book. The novel and character of Levon Cade have never been adapted before, so it is still a new property for most. Statham, Ayer, and Amazon MGM have hopes for a franchise to launch, but A Working Man still works as a standalone action movie.
Statham is confirmed to follow up A Working Man with another original, standalone action movie in Mutiny, which will come out in 2026. The film follows Statham as another retired military man who is drawn back into a life of action. However, this time its because he’s framed for murdering one of his friends. The similar basic set up that Mutiny has with some of Statham’s other action movies does make it sound less original, but it is still a standalone film. It has no connections to earlier movies and is a wholly original story.
Jason Statham’s Original Action Movie Trend Is Exactly What He Needed
The Actor Got Too Dependent On Sequels
The run of standalone action movies for Jason Statham couldn’t have come at a better time. Prior to doing The Beekeeper, he had become incredibly reliant on sequels and franchises. This is due to his continued appearance in the Fast & Furious movies, attempts to extend the Expendables series, and finding new franchises with The Meg. If we count both of the Meg movies, seven of Statham’s ten movies before The Beekeeper and A Working Man are part of an existing franchise.
Jason Statham was in three straight sequels before The Beekeeper
While he still mixed in some original movies like Wrath of Man, Statham’s reliance on franchises became too much. Making the switch to do more standalone movies was the right move, especially considering how his franchise returns started to be less successful. Expend4bles was a major flop, and The Meg 2 and Fast X made less than their previous installments. Instead of continuing to try to revive these properties, it’s better for Statham to look toward the future and do these multiple standalone movies with the hope that some will be franchise starters.
Upcoming Sequel To Jason Statham’s Original Action Movie Will End This Trend
Statham Isn’t Leaving Sequels Behind Entirely
Jason Statham is set to do more sequels in the future still. As great as his original, standalone action movies can be, a lot of them are done with the possibility that sequels will happen. That’s exactly what happened with The Beekeeper. Statham is confirmed to return for The Beekeeper 2, which is expected to begin production in 2025. This should make the sequel his next movie after Mutiny. His standalone action movie streak will end at three films then.
There’s a good chance that the actor continues to look for more standalone movies to fill out his schedule going forward, though. The Beekeeper was a critical and financial success, while A Working Man is on track to be a solid box office performer. Doing sequels is a key part of Statham’s career and the Hollywood ecosystem for action stars, but they aren’t the only projects he should do. He needs a better mix of standalone movies and franchises. 2026 potentially delivering The Beekeeper 2 and Mutiny is one way for that to happen after A Working Man.
