One of the most beloved action movies starring Jason Statham has taken something of an unorthodox path to streaming success. Just last year, Statham starred opposite Jeremy Irons and Josh Hutcherson in The Beekeeper, the violent action movie following a former covert operative who comes out of retirement to go on a gritty revenge mission. The Beekeeper was an instant hit, enough so that Amazon MGM, and Miramax announced they were working on a sequel to the film. On Friday, director Timo Tjahjanto (Nobody 2) confirmed that The Beekeeper 2 has officially begun filming, which led fans to flock to The Beekeeper as it is now surging on streaming charts.

The Beekeeper is currently streaming on Prime Video and Amazon MGM+ in America, and considering it’s an Amazon MGM production, it likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The film was mostly well-liked by critics but beloved by audiences — the former rated it a 71% on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and it also came to rest at a Verified Hot 92% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. The Beekeeper even found success at the box office, grossing $160 million globally against a relatively modest $40 million budget.

David Ayer directed The Beekeeper, but he is not returning to direct the sequel, and he has instead been replaced by the aforementioned Timo Tjahjanto. Ayer’s departure was strictly due to a scheduling conflict, and not at all caused by creative differences. He’s too busy preparing to film Heart of the Beast, his next action-adventure movie with Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons. On the same day The Beekeeper 2 began filming, it also added a Salt and Black-ish star to its cast.

What Is Jason Statham Best Known For?

The Beekeeper star Jason Statham is known for his role as Chev Chelios in Crank, and he later reprised the role in the sequel, Crank: High Voltage. He’s also famous for playing Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise, dating back 10 years. He’s expected to play the character one final time in Fast X: Part Two. Statham has also headlined other action franchises such as The Transporter and The Meg, and his role as Lee Christmas will also live on as one of his most famous. His work with Guy Ritchie on films like Wrath of Man and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre has garnered acclaim in the last five years.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of The Beekeeper 2, and watch The Beekeeper on Prime Video.

Release Date

January 12, 2024

Runtime

105 minutes

Director

David Ayer

Writers

Kurt Wimmer