The upcoming action-packed thriller Play Dirty stands to improve on a prior Jason Statham flick, acting as a reboot for the IP. Play Dirty stars Mark Wahlberg as Parker, an expert thief leading a crew of criminals to acquire one billion dollars’ worth of sunken treasure, facing off against the likes of the New York Mob in this heist of a lifetime.

Mark Wahlberg’s character, Parker, is the central figure in a series of crime novels by Donald E. Westlake, who featured the character in over two dozen books. Over the years, Parker has appeared in a handful of live-action adaptations based on Westlake’s work, with Jason Statham portraying the character in 2013’s Parker.

Despite the potential for numerous spin-offs and sequels, Parker wasn’t the franchise starter many had anticipated it to be, with a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score and disappointing box office return. However, with a strong trailer and star-studded cast, Play Dirty presents itself as a potential franchise catalyst, thanks to the film’s secret weapon in the form of its director.

Shane Black Is Play Dirty’s Secret Weapon To Finding Success

Play Dirty is the latest release from accomplished filmmaker Shane Black, who has acted as both writer and director of the upcoming reboot. Although not all of Black’s films have been critical and commercial hits, he is well-versed in the action genre, penning classics like Last Action Hero early on in his career.

It is evident through Play Dirty’s trailer that Black’s experience working within the action/thriller genre has set him up perfectly to execute this reboot to a high standard. He’s already showcasing an array of brutal kill scenes, tense stand-offs, and high-stakes car chases that are sure to tantalize the taste buds of fans of the action genre.

More specifically, Black has a clear affinity for the buddy comedy genre, with iconic тιтles such as Lethal Weapon and The Nice Guys under his belt. Black is revisiting elements of this genre thanks to Parker and Grofield’s bromance throughout Play Dirty, which is seen in the trailer to be the comedic core of the project, enhanced by the performances of Wahlberg and LaKeith Stanfield.

Play Dirty has a strong chance to be a huge improvement on Parker and reboot the franchise into a potential heavy hitter, with Wahlberg seemingly a good replacement for Statham. However, Black’s involvement is the true secret weapon that could really give the movie an advantage, thanks to his extensive back catalog of beloved action-packed buddy comedies.