David Ayer is set to reteam with action star Jason Statham on Levon’s Trade, and the movie has found a new home on the back of The Beekeeper’s recent success. Based on the first book in Chuck Dixon’s Levon Cade book series, the screenplay has been penned by Statham’s frequent Expendables collaborator, Sylvester Stallone, and offers another perfect opportunity to showcase his action skills. Meanwhile, The Beekeeper, Statham’s first collaboration with Ayer, is currently enjoying a largely positive reception from critics and has achieved a $75 million box-office haul within the first 10 days of release.
According to Deadline, Amazon MGM have signed a lucrative deal in which the studio has picked up the rights for both a U.S. theatrical release as well as streaming rights in several key international territories for Levon’s Trade. The movie’s producers, Black Bear, have also reportedly sold the international theatrical distribution rights to multiple international partners. The news of Amazon MGM signing on for a major theatrical release comes directly on the heels of the studio receiving criticism for denying the same opportunity for the upcoming Road House remake from director Doug Liman.
Could Levon’s Trade Become Amazon’s Next Big Franchise?
As one of the world’s most prolific comic book writers, Dixon is no stranger to seeing his work adapted to screen. Creator of the iconic Batman villain Bane, played by Tom Hardy in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, and the seminal DC superhero team known as the Birds of Prey, his work has left an indelible mark on the pop culture landscape. Dixon’s Levon’s Trade adaptation promises to be just as exciting. It follows a former black-ops operative seeking to leave his former profession behind only to be dragged into a world of criminal conspiracies and vigilante justice.
While Dixon’s original premise, combined with the collective talents of Statham, Ayer and Stallone, potentially set the stage for an explosive action-thriller with Levon’s Trade, the movie also has the potential to serve as the first chapter in a new long-running franchise. With 11 books currently available in Dixon’s series, and a 12th planned for release in February this year, there is more than enough fodder to potentially see Statham continue in the role for years to come. This seems all the more possible thanks to Amazon’s ongoing success with Reacher.
With movie studios increasingly looking to invest in expansive cinematic franchises, as opposed to one-off action films, it is possible that Amazon MGM’s interest in Levon’s Trade could be based on far more than just this one movie alone. While there is currently no indication that there are plans to continue adapting the Levon Cade series beyond this first movie, if it goes on to enjoy the same kind of success as The Beekeeper, it would almost be certain to generate interest in additional sequels.