The action franchise that should have beenJason Statham’sbest only proved how much the movies wasted his talents.Jason Statham’s action movieshave been entertaining fans for over 20 years, and he had an unusual route to stardom. After years of odd jobs like working in market stalls or being a music video extra, Statham made his debut in Guy Ritchie’sLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.Statham’s action debut in John Carpenter’sGhosts of Marswould then later set him on a different path entiriely.
He might be typecast in the genre, but Statham doesn’t appear to mind that one bit. He is one of the biggest action stars in the world, with his name alone is all but guaranteed to pull in an audience. There are manyJason Statham action franchisesin existence too, where he is either part of an ensemble - like theFast & Furioussaga - or he’s the sole lead.Statham is as popular as ever, withThe Beekeeper’s$152 million haul (viaThe Numbers) giving him his most successful filmoutside of his many franchises.
All 5 Upcoming Jason Statham Movies Explained
Action movie star Jason Statham has plenty of exciting upcoming thrillers, sequels, and potential franchise starters in the works.
Jason Statham’s Franchises Have All Been Box Office Hits (Minus Expendables)
Expendables 4’s failure abruptly ended the ensemble series
In the same way Statham’s regular co-star (and pal) Sylvester Stallone built his career around series likeRockyorRambo, Statham has a reliable collection of franchises for himself. While he appears finished withThe TransporterorCrankfilms, the star still has properties likeThe Megto return to.There’s also a good chanceThe Beekeeper 2will happen, and Statham will be reuniting withBeekeeperhelmer David Ayer for the novel adaptationLevon’s Trade, which could spawn a new series too.
4
$315,536,842
2
$79,397,662
$840,842,411
$202,077,028
The Fast and the Furious
11
$7,321,468,458
$921,566,988
The above franchises will see that Statham is gainfully employed for the foreseeable future, but one series that probably won’t return isThe Expendables. Stallone created this ensemble saga as a way for legendary action stars to work together, with the poster for each outing boasting names like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford and many more.The Expendablesshould be - given the talent involved - Statham’s best franchise, but more often than not it’s been disappointing.
The Expendables 4 was a witless, lazy cash grab with some appallingly undercooked CGI…
The first and second films drew mixed reviews but were solidly profitable, though the third entry underperformed in 2014.The Expendables 4was a box-office bomb in 2023 though, grossing $51 million on a reported $100 million budgetwhile earning awful reviews. This fourth installment was a witless, lazy cash grab with some appallingly undercooked CGI, and its total failure marks the first time a Statham franchise has crashed so thoroughly.
Expendables 4’s Flop Is Even More Disappointing Given Statham’s Box Office Successes
Expendables 4 should have revived the series, not killed it
2023 was a productive year for Statham, where he starred in no less than four movies.Fast XandMeg 2: The Trenchmay have both received tepid notices, but they were still comfortable financial successes. Guy Ritchie’sOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerrewas somewhat disappointing, and just about clawed back its $50 million budget. Still,Expendables 4was far and away Statham’s biggest flop in some time, though he quickly bounced back in January 2024 thanks toThe Beekeeper.
While he won’t appear in the movie, Sylvester Stallone penned the screenplay for Jason Statham’s upcoming thrillerLevon’s Trade.
It’s genuinely impressive that, over 25 years into his career, Statham is still an in-demand leading man. He’s somebody who knows what his core audience wants and finds projects that suit his screen persona. Sadly,The Expendables 4felt ill-conceived from its inception, sidelining series creator Stallone in a cameo and settling for a rather generic storyinvolving a stolen nuclear weapon. It almost feels like the people producing the sequel had little faith in it, and that lack of passion translated onscreen. Of course, Statham himself remained the highlight.
The Expendables Franchise Should Have Used Jason Statham Better
Maybe Expendables: A Christmas Story really was the better idea
Following the disappointment ofThe Expendables 3, the series found itself in a funk. There were plans for an all-female spinoff dubbedThe Expendabelles, and a Statham solo offering calledExpendables: A Christmas Story. Neither film happened, though it appears the fourth outing used pieces from those unmade projects.Statham is the best part ofThe Expendables 4, but there are only so many quips and punches he can deliver to distract from a lousy screenplayand forgettable setpieces.
Statham and Stallone were essentially the leads of the series, with the films leaning on their easy chemistry. But due to featuring so many iconic stars, the movies often felt episodic and unbalanced, such as the second entry stopping dead in its tracks to let Chuck Norris tell a bad Chuck Norris joke. The fourth film positioned Statham as the lead of the next iteration of the series, but given its failure, another sequel is doubtful. MaybeExpendables: A Christmas Storywas the better option after all, splitting Statham off from the rest of the cast for a solo outing.
The Expendables
The Expendablesis an American action film franchise created by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone. It revolves around a team of elite mercenaries and serves as an homage to 1980s and 1990s blockbuster action films, featuring iconic action stars. The franchise includes four films, released between 2010 and 2023, along with comic books, video games, and potential spin-offs, including a canceled all-female film. Known for its ensemble cast and explosive action,The Expendablescelebrates both classic and modern action heroes.
