Jason Statham’s hive-protecting ᴀssᴀssin is returning in The Beekeeper 2, and he’ll reportedly be joined by a key actor from the original film.
The Beekeeper was a little bit John Wick, and a little bit The Equalizer, with some questionable political overtones for extra spice. The recipe proved irresistible to moviegoers when the film released back in January 2024, vaulting Statham’s action vehicle to a $162 million worldwide box office gross.
Those unexpectedly huge financial returns auto-triggered production on a Beekeeper sequel, which is likely coming some time in 2026, with Statham once again guarding the human hive through the use of his highly-developed ᴀssᴀssin skills.
Casting for the Beekeeper 2 is now underway, and it’s being reported that Jeremy Irons has been added as a returning star, set to reprise the role of former CIA director Wallace Westwyld (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline).
What Irons’ Return Means For The Beekeeper 2
The first Beekeeper movie saw Irons’ one-time intelligence chief Westwyld now running security for Danforth Enterprises, a tech firm owned by the U.S. president’s shady son. As a former government insider, Westwyld knows all about the Beekeepers, the secret program that once employed Statham’s Adam Clay, and furthermore, knows how much danger Clay presents to anyone who crosses his path.
Irons’ return as Westwyld could mean Beekeeper 2 will further explore the backstory of Statham’s Adam Clay, as Westwyld is one of the few people who knows about the Beekeepers. It would be natural for the sequel to delve deeper into the lore that was only hinted at in the first movie, perhaps unveiling a full-on John Wick-like universe.
Having Irons back in the fold is also good for beefing up the Beekeeper 2 cast’s prestige level, given his status as an Oscar-winner, though in truth, it’s been over 30 years since Irons won that Oscar, and in recent years he’s arguably tarnished his reputation by appearing in a lot of schlock.
Our Take On Irons Teaming Up With Statham In The Beekeeper 2
Irons has been plugged into so many mediocre movies in recent years that his presence is no longer much of a surprise. In retrospect, the Oscar-winning Reversal of Fortune star’s outrageously hammy performance in the notoriously bad Dungeons & Dragons should have been a red flag warning of a downturn in the quality of his projects.
The Beekeeper was indeed one of the better and more successful movies Irons has appeared in recently, so it’s no shock that he’s signed on to reprise his role in The Beekeeper 2. Hopefully, the sequel will let him ham it up to his heart’s content opposite the ever-laconic Statham.
