Action tough nut Jason Statham and outspoken director David Ayer clearly got along making their upcoming action thriller ‘The Beekeeper’. According to Deadline, they’re already looking to team up again for a new film.
And though it sounds like the new project, ‘Levon’s Trade’, will share some distinct sensibilities (both feature the story of a man who left a life of violence behind for a quieter existence, only to be drawn back into taking out bad guys), Ayer will surely find some way for the new movie to be different.
What’s the story of ‘Levon’s Trade’?
The movie will chart how Levon Cade (Statham) left his past behind him to go ‘straight’ and work in construction. He wants to live a simple life and be a good father to his daughter.
But when his boss’s teenage daughter Jenny vanishes, he’s called upon to re-employ the skills that made him a legendary figure in the shadowy world of black ops. His hunt for the missing college student takes him deep into the heart of a sinister criminal conspiracy creating a chain reaction that will threaten his new way of life.
‘Levon’s Trade’ has its origins in a book by Chuck Dixon.
Who wrote the ‘Levon’s Trade’ script?
‘Levon’s Trade’ has an even more famous name behind its script –– and it marks the other reunion for Statham. Sylvester Stallone, who guided and starred in ‘The Expendables’ franchise (which Statham now mostly leads) adapted the script from Dixon’s book.
It’s a title in which Stallone has showed interest before; the book is the first of eleven in the popular Levon Cade thriller series. Stallone’s Balboa Productions previously developed the project as a TV series.
Stallone has quite a history of screenwriting –– he was nominated for an Oscar for 1976’s ‘Rocky’ and most recently scripted ‘Rambo: Last Blood’.
Producer Bill Block, whose company BlockFilm is backing the new movie, had this to say about it:
“I am thrilled to be reuniting with some of my most talented and longstanding partners on ‘Levon’s Trade’. I first worked with David Ayer on ‘Fury’ and it was immediately clear that he is a director at the very top of his game. Jason and I have worked together on a number of films, and most recently the three of us collaborated on ‘The Beekeeper’. ‘Levon’s Trade’ is going to be another spectacular action movie and I’m confident we’ve assembled the dream team to bring the first novel in this celebrated series to the big screen.”
News›Behind the Scenes
Jason Statham to Star for Director David Ayer in ‘Levon’s Trade’, Written by Sylvester Stallone
Stallone adapted the script from Chuck Dixon’s book. It’s the first in a series of novels, so there is plenty of fodder for potential sequels.
Moviefone
October 31, 2023 – 6 min read
Jason Statham as Jonas in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and CMC Pictures’ sci-fi action thriller “Meg 2: The Trench,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Jason Statham as Jonas in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and CMC Pictures’ sci-fi action thriller “Meg 2: The Trench,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Preview
Jason Statham will reunite with ‘The Beekeeper’ director David Ayer.
Statham plays a former black ops soldier trying to forge a new life.
Sylvester Stallone wrote the script for the movie.
Action tough nut Jason Statham and outspoken director David Ayer clearly got along making their upcoming action thriller ‘The Beekeeper’. According to Deadline, they’re already looking to team up again for a new film.
And though it sounds like the new project, ‘Levon’s Trade’, will share some distinct sensibilities (both feature the story of a man who left a life of violence behind for a quieter existence, only to be drawn back into taking out bad guys), Ayer will surely find some way for the new movie to be different.
What’s the story of ‘Levon’s Trade’?
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
The movie will chart how Levon Cade (Statham) left his past behind him to go ‘straight’ and work in construction. He wants to live a simple life and be a good father to his daughter.
But when his boss’s teenage daughter Jenny vanishes, he’s called upon to re-employ the skills that made him a legendary figure in the shadowy world of black ops. His hunt for the missing college student takes him deep into the heart of a sinister criminal conspiracy creating a chain reaction that will threaten his new way of life.
‘Levon’s Trade’ has its origins in a book by Chuck Dixon.
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Expend4bles’
Who wrote the ‘Levon’s Trade’ script?
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
‘Levon’s Trade’ has an even more famous name behind its script –– and it marks the other reunion for Statham. Sylvester Stallone, who guided and starred in ‘The Expendables’ franchise (which Statham now mostly leads) adapted the script from Dixon’s book.
It’s a title in which Stallone has showed interest before; the book is the first of eleven in the popular Levon Cade thriller series. Stallone’s Balboa Productions previously developed the project as a TV series.
Stallone has quite a history of screenwriting –– he was nominated for an Oscar for 1976’s ‘Rocky’ and most recently scripted ‘Rambo: Last Blood’.
Producer Bill Block, whose company BlockFilm is backing the new movie, had this to say about it:
“I am thrilled to be reuniting with some of my most talented and longstanding partners on ‘Levon’s Trade’. I first worked with David Ayer on ‘Fury’ and it was immediately clear that he is a director at the very top of his game. Jason and I have worked together on a number of films, and most recently the three of us collaborated on ‘The Beekeeper’. ‘Levon’s Trade’ is going to be another spectacular action movie and I’m confident we’ve assembled the dream team to bring the first novel in this celebrated series to the big screen.”
When will ‘Levon’s Trade’ be in theaters?
Given the fact that ‘Levon’s Trade’ hasn’t even started shooting yet (it’s aiming for a March start in London next year) and has its rights on sale at the AFM market this week, the movie does not yet have a release date.
‘The Beekeeper’, meanwhile, will be out on January 12th.
Other David Ayer Movies:
‘U-571’ (2000)
‘Training Day’ (2001)
‘The Fast and the Furious’ (2001)
‘Dark Blue’ (2003)
‘S.W.A.T. ‘(2003)
‘Harsh Times’ (2006)
‘Street Kings’ (2008)
‘End of Watch’ (2012)
‘Sabotage’ (2014)
‘Fury’ (2014)
‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)
‘Bright’ (2017)
‘The Tax Collector’ (2020)