8 Existing Movie Franchises That Need To Cast Jason Statham

Few Hollywood action stars are as reliable today as everyman Jason Statham, whose specific brand of action has been consistently attracting viewership over the past couple of decades. Many of his films aren’t blockbusters, and they have smaller budgets, making Jason Statham the anti-Tom Cruise kind of action star, but his regular output and his growing fandom prove his popularity.

The actor has carved out a niche in the industry with a unique brand of action, especially with films like Jason Statham’s “Profession” movies, some of which have become successful franchises. The best aspect of Statham’s persona as an action star is that he’s not over-the-top, and most of his characters are everymen in difficult situations performing unbelievable fight maneuvers.

This is why some of Jason Statham’s best movie franchisea aren’t solo projects, and involve him joining pre-established crews and worlds. His style of action, which primarily involves exchanging heavy blows with equally physically imposing characters or fighting an incredible number of characters simultaneously, can easily blend with other action styles, making him a perfect fit for many action franchises.

John Wick

A defining element of Statham’s filmography as an action star is the lack of cheesiness in his smaller budget productions, which are often quite raw, gritty, and even messy. Jason Statham’s best movies involve heavy punches, a dark storyline, entertaining and gory fight scenes, and a signature lack of polish, despite ample flair in the performance of the action star.

Many of Statham’s most iconic characters are regular people with dark pasts that justify their combat skills. They’re forced to take up arms in desperate situations, much like many of John Wick‘s characters who are sent to collect the bounty on the тιтular protagonist’s head. His style of action would also make him an ideal addition, especially opposite Keanu Reeves.

Bad Boys

Actor Martin Lawrence’s recent update about Bad Boys 5‘s development has fans eagerly anticipating the announcement about production. The action franchise, which made a surprise return in 2020, after nearly 2 decades, has managed to revive interest in the iconic and chaotic dynamic duo of characters played by Lawrence and Will Smith, whose chemistry continues to be warm and hilarious.

Adding Statham into the mix might create a case of too many cooks, but opposite Lawrence and Smith, who bring a comedic tone to Bad Boys, he’d fit in naturally. Given the evolving nature of the franchise, whose last film was decidedly different, with much more focus on vehicular stuntwork, this would be the ideal time to experiment with casting.

The DCU

John Cena as Peacemaker in civilian clothes looking scared in Peacemaker season 2

He has tried his hand at almost every subgenre of action cinema, but Jason Statham has yet to be in a superhero movie, and it seems likely that he’ll never be in one. The tone of superhero films, especially in the MCU, which have become rather formulaic and one-dimensional over the past few years, may not even suit the actor.

However, James Gunn’s DCU is significantly different in tone from any superhero franchise that predates it. Shows like Peacemaker, which is gory, hilarious, and unafraid to commit to the bit, accompanied by over-the-top dialogue and unbridled violence would suit Statham, and if we’re to ever see him in a superhero movie, it will likely only be in a DCU film.

Transformers

Over the years, The Transformers franchise has featured many action movie stars, including John Cena. While the focus has definitively shifted to the conflict between the transformers, especially with Transformers One, which was among the best animated movies of 2024, human characters have provided narrative perspectives in every live-action Transformers movie, and have been at the center of the action.

The tone of one Transformers movie is so widely different from another that an action star like Statham, with a proven ability to adapt to the requirements of various subgenres of action, is ideal for the franchise. Regardless of the amount and nature of fighting involving human characters, he can provide a fresh change of pace with his signature flair.

James Bond

While he’s too old to fit the bill for the requirements as discussed by the producers of the new First Light James Bond movie, Statham’s consistent presence in the British action cinema landscape makes him long overdue for an appearance in a James Bond movie. The franchise’s recent darker shift, if continued, would be ideal for Jason Statham’s action persona.

Statham has played antagonistic roles, most notably in the Fast and Furious franchise, where his character’s introduction was as a villain, and his physical prowess makes him a perfect fit to play a sᴀssy henchman or an overconfident villain who physically brawls with James Bond. His comic timing could also help move the franchise in a lighter direction if suitable.

Predator

With Predator: Badlands looming on the horizon for expectant fans who have been eagerly awaiting its release, the audience’s confidence in the franchise’s potential has been renewed. 2022’s Prey, which revamped the Predator franchise, proved that the movies can keep up with the changing standards of action filmmaking today, by incorporating more pressing themes and featuring modern cinematography and choreography.

Statham’s longevity in the industry can only be accounted for by his ability to grow as an actor. Through the years, while Jason Statham has become an actor who is always the hero in his movies, and has come to be known for playing the same type of character, his lesser-known roles prove his versatility, suggesting he belongs in Predator.

The Naked Gun

The best movie in Statham’s career is arguably Paul Feig’s Spy, which not only demonstrates his comic timing but also proves that he can competently and comfortably parody the very role he’s become famous for. Statham is an action movie actor who should do more comedy films, as is proven by his hilariously sincere delivery of farcical dialogue in Spy.

Despite the doubtful comments by lead actor Liam Neeson, The Naked Gun‘s producer is hopeful about a potential sequel to the film.

Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun may have revitalized slapstick comedy as a genre after the lull we experienced over the last few years, in which comedy has branched out into many subgenres, but has been unwilling to commit to the bit for the sake of gags. Statham’s comic timing and physical comedy skills make him perfect for The Naked Gun.

Jurᴀssic Park

Chris Pratt's Owen stares at a small dinosaur in Jurᴀssic World Dominion. — Chris Pratt’s Owen stares at a small dinosaur in Jurᴀssic World Dominion.

While movies like Transporter, Crank, and the Expendables and Fast and Furious films he’s appeared in, are among the more popular тιтles ᴀssociated with Jason Statham, a promising franchise in his filmography is his underwater adventure franchise, Meg, which is more of a creature feature with insane stunts, than a traditional action movie involving guns, kicks, punches, and cheeky lines.

While the Monsterverse has emerged as the most influential creature feature franchise in the history of cinema, featuring some impressive crossovers, and Jurᴀssic Park never found its prestige reputation after the ’90s, the new, lighter, more action-heavy, and entertainment-first approach to Jurᴀssic Park would suit Statham’s style of action, and he’ll hopefully be cast in one of the planned sequels.