Action star Jason Statham’s latest blockbuster film, The Beekeeper, raked in an additional $5.3 million over the weekend, bringing the domestic box office gross to an impressive $49.4 million since its January 12 release. And while the U.S. numbers alone continue to prove just how much Statham is in demand by moviegoers, the audiences overseas continue to flock to the big screen in droves to see this heavy-hitting film.
To date, The Beekeeper has box office receipts of $73.1 million, driving the total ticket revenue to $122.5 million and within striking distance of passing Statham’s previous box office success with Mechanic: Resurrection global receipts of $125.7 million.
In The Beekeeper, Jason Statham plays Adam Clay, a solitary man who raises bees and lives in the barn of a retired Massachusetts school teacher. When Clay’s landlady is the target of a phishing scam that costs her her lifesavings, she dies by suicide. Seeking vengeance for her death, Clay summons a group known as the Beekeepers, a clandestine organization that works above the authority of the United States government.The Beekeeper follows Clay’s moves as he identifies the call center behind the scam. Over the 105-minute run of the film, Clay uncovers a worldwide financial fraud network that involves powerful figures in high positions in the United States government. The seemingly nonstop action and fast-paced plotline have certainly seemed to help elevate Jason Statham’s latest film to what will soon be his highest-grossing role to date.
Jason Statham’s First Team Up With David Ayer
At the film’s helm is Suicide Squad director David Ayer. Though a familiar name with action film fans, The Beekeeper marks the first time that Ayer and Jason Statham have worked together on a project. Ayer had previously penned the first installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise, several films before Statham was cast as Shaw.
A Modern-Day Schwarzenegger
Statham had previously proven himself to be worthy of being a leading man in A-list action films with starring roles in The Transporter and Meg film series. Add in the massive appeal as the vengeful Deckard Shaw in The Fast and the Furious franchise, and it’s apparent that Jason Statham has risen to the level of action star of 1980s/1990s Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Statham’s continued meteoric rise at the box office shows just how far he’s come in the industry since he was first cast by British director Guy Ritchie in 1998.
Guy Ritchie To Thank
That year, Jason Statham played a supporting heavy in the film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. His onscreen prowess was rewarded two years later in another Ritchie film, Snatch. From there, Statham was cast in a bevy of action film roles, breaking out as a star among international audiences in the 2002 hit The Transporter.
The Beekeeper Set To Be Jason Statham’s Biggest Hit As The Leading Man
As The Beekeeper moves into its second month at the box office this weekend, look for it to become the movie that smashes the successes of Jason Statham’s previous lead films. With just $3.2 million needed and a run at theaters that will last beyond the current month, the question is just how much more success will the film enjoy?
