Jason Statham has a very distinctive career, and his film choices prove that he is very happy doing what he does best. Many Jason Statham action movies have similar premises, and he has fully embraced his status as a go-to action star. With a host of franchises under his belt, there is a certain box office draw associated with his name. But, this was not always the case, and throughout his career, Statham has seen many highs as well as a fair share of lows.
There have been Jason Statham films that received some negative reviews, some that were highly violent and carried no mass appeal, and some that were made on low budgets with very little marketing behind them. Despite various odds, many of his movies were able to overperform and more than double their budgets, to the surprise of many critics and industry experts.
10
Cellular (2004)
Directed by David R. Ellis
Cellular
- Release Date
-
September 6, 2004
- Runtime
-
94 minutes
- Director
-
David R. Ellis
Despite mostly negative reviews, this gimmicky film was able to make back over double its budget, grossing $57.7 million. Kim Basinger was the main star of the film and provided the emotional center to the convoluted story that saw Chris Evans randomly receive a call on his cellular phone. Despite his acting resume being much shorter than audiences are now used to, Evans was able to bring his innate charisma and charm to a role that could easily have landed flat.
Cellular has not aged particularly well with its dated technology and some unsavory jokes, but it represents the type of popcorn movies that were really popular at the time.
Jason Statham’s role in Cellular is of the villain, and he plays the part very well. He’s menacing and threatening, and the violence in his scenes with Basinger feels real. Cellular has not aged particularly well with its dated technology and some unsavory jokes, but it represents the type of popcorn movies that were really popular at the time. Additionally, it allowed the actors to showcase their potential, which earned them much bigger roles in the future.
9
Crank (2006)
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Crank
7/10
- Release Date
-
August 31, 2006
- Runtime
-
88 minutes
- Director
-
Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
After cutting his teeth in various supporting roles, Statham was finally getting more lead parts as well. His reputation for action films was already established, and his name was becoming enough of a draw to fill theaters with fans of the genre. The actor continued choosing high-octane projects that fit in with his brand, and Crank was just that. The premise was not particularly deep or meaningful, but it played into Statham’s macho persona without taking itself too seriously.
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The reviews were mixed, but the movie appealed to those who enjoyed a few hours of pure entertainment. The budget was not too high, coming in at around $12 million, which was relatively rare for an actioner, and it made back nearly all of that in its opening weekend alone. The film went on to gross over $40 million, and with Statham doing the majority of his own stunts, established him as one of the go-to actors when adrenaline is required.
8
The Transporter (2002)
Directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen
The Transporter
6/10
- Release Date
-
June 19, 2015
- Runtime
-
101minutes
- Director
-
Louis Leterrier, Corey Yuen
When most of the plot of the film can be explained by its title, that usually does not bode well for its quality. However, there was a lot more to The Transporter than just transporting, and Jason Statham’s skills for action were put front and center. He established himself as the brooding loner with a heart of gold, as he got close to the person he was merely tasked with taking from point A to point b.
The film’s financial takings at the box office were enough to warrant a further two sequels and established a trio of films that are among Statham’s most popular with fans.
It was his first notable leading role and showed studios exactly how much bankability potential he had. The second and third installments made more than double at the box office, signifying just how much Statham’s star was on the rise. But, it would not have been possible without the initial success of this underrated film.
7
Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)
Directed by Kelly Asbury
Gnomeo and Juliet
- Release Date
-
February 11, 2011
- Runtime
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84minutes
- Director
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Kelly Asbury
This forgotten Disney animated comedy was a unique twist on the very well-known Shakespeare classic. Set on two different sides of a garden fence, the story follows two feuding sets of garden-dwellers and the love story between the two titular star-crossed gnomes. The cast was very impressive, featuring the vocal talents of Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, and Maggie Smith to name but a few. Jason Statham rounded off the cast as Tybalt, Juliet’s very ill-tempered cousin.
It was quite a curious career move for the action star, but seeing his softer side on the press tour was a pleasant surprise, and his comedic tendencies were already well-documented. The reviews were not glowing when the film came out, but it struck a chord with the family audiences it was targeting. Gnomeo and Juliet made nearly $194 million on a budget of just $36 million, making it a big worldwide success.
6
Mechanic: Resurrection (2016)
Directed by Dennis Gansel
Mechanic: Resurrection
4/10
- Release Date
-
August 26, 2016
- Runtime
-
98 Minutes
- Director
-
Dennis Gansel
The first installment of this action thriller wasn’t hugely popular in the North American market, but it went on to fare much better worldwide, proving just how much the world craved Jason Statham movies. The sequel came out five years later, and the expectations were not necessarily sky-high. The budget was not increased, yet it managed to make even more of a profit than the first Mechanic.
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Seeing Statham in his signature role of a highly skilled and masculine anti-hero had become a recipe for success, and there seemed to be a market for it that studios chose to explore. The co-stars include Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Yeoh, who lent their status and experience to this adrenaline-fuelled picture. It made close to $126 million on a $40 million budget, which made it a big worldwide hit.
5
Snatch (2000)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Snatch
- Release Date
-
January 19, 2001
- Runtime
-
102 minutes
The now-prolific British director with a penchant for slick gangster films was only starting in Hollywood, and while Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels had achieved massive critical acclaim, it didn’t quite smash box office records. It was certainly profitable and brought the filmmaker a lot of opportunities. Statham’s part in the earlier film was very well-received, and he was brought back to star in the highly anticipated follow-up.
Seeing as Lock, Stock made just over $3 million on a budget of under a million, the financial expectations were not particularly lofty. The budget had been upped due to the industry interest in Guy Ritchie’s career, and Snatch was able to attract big names like Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro. That combination helped the R-rated film gross over $83 million worldwide against a $6 million budget. This marked both Ritchie and Statham’s first bona fide hit.
4
Spy (2015)
Directed by Paul Feig
Spy
7/10
- Release Date
-
June 15, 2015
- Runtime
-
120 Minutes
- Director
-
Paul Feig
- Writers
-
Paul Feig
Melissa McCarthy had become a big star after the runaway success of Bridesmaids and began receiving offers for much bigger roles. While Tammy and The Heat featured very prominent and equally billed co-stars, Spy was one of McCarthy’s first big films that relied on her to lead on her own. The supporting cast was stacked with big names, like Jason Statham, Jude Law, and Allison Janney, but it was Melissa McCarthy who had top-billing.
However, the comedy aspect proved to win out and the film performed incredibly well, earning more than $235 worldwide.
This meant that the projections were based on what a comedy film would do, not necessarily an action film. However, the comedy aspect proved to win out and the film performed incredibly well, earning more than $235 worldwide, and holding a very impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating of 95%. Statham’s role poked fun at his on-screen reputation and was one of the highlights of the whole movie.
3
The Beekeeper (2024)
Directed by David Ayer
The Beekeeper
6/10
- Release Date
-
January 12, 2024
- Runtime
-
105 Minutes
- Director
-
David Ayer
The Beekeeper proved just how big of an action star Jason Statham still is. As the biggest name of the film, it was he alone who was able to draw in audiences by just having his name at the top of the poster. At this point, viewers mostly know what to expect when buying a ticket to one of the actor’s films, which means that while a core demographic might already be guaranteed, the film’s success will depend on appealing to those beyond it.
The budget for The Beekeeper is estimated at $40 million, which is quite in line with what’s being put forward on a Statham project. But, for a solo project such as this, which is not part of an established franchise and does not feature a big-name supporting cast, a gross of nearly $153 million at the box office is huge. It goes to show that with the right story and the right public mood, Statham is able to create all new franchises of his own.
2
The Expendables 2 (2012)
Directed by Simon West
The Expendables 2
7/10
- Release Date
-
August 12, 2012
- Runtime
-
1h 43m
- Director
-
Simon West
The first Expendables was a big undertaking. Uniting some of the biggest action stars in one film involved a lot of negotiations and ego handling, but Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolf Lundgren were only some of the notable names that signed on to the project. Because of this, the expectations and the budget were rather high. It was ambitious but also a very conscious effort to capitalize on the fact that the film featured all these action men.
While the film did make a profit grossing around $274 million worldwide, it was still not as successful as the studios had hoped. The reviews were also quite unkind, and some of the actors didn’t fare as well as they thought they would. Still, a sequel followed, with a bigger budget and bigger cast. Because of the performance of the first film, box office expectations were quite similar, so when the film went on to outperform the original and made over $311 million, it was a very pleasant surprise.
1
The Meg (2018)
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
The Meg
7/10
- Release Date
-
August 10, 2018
- Runtime
-
113 Minutes
- Director
-
Jon Turteltaub
At the time the film came out, shark movies weren’t particularly popular in mainstream culture, and Jason Statham had relied a lot upon ensemble projects and established franchises. His solo excursions were hit-and-miss, and The Meg had the potential to be just another mediocre action film to add to the list. The expectations for it to be a box office hit weren’t too high, and the creators decided to have a lot of fun with the movie, making it much funnier than expected and leaning into the ridiculousness of it all.
Jason Statham proved that he does not need to take himself too seriously and still commands the screen with his strength and skills. It’s very evident here, as he takes on a gigantic prehistoric fish with his bare hands and lives to tell the tale. The Meg resonated with audiences and surpassed expectations, making over half a billion worldwide. It naturally spawned a sequel, which made almost $400 million.
