The Transporter director Louis Leterrier addresses a possible reunion with star Jason Statham for another installment. Released in 2002, The Transporter introduces Statham as criminal driver Frank Martin, serving as the actor’s first major foray into the action genre after the likes of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Statham would return for two sequels, one in 2005 and one in 2008, but would opt not to reprise his role for The Transporter Refueled in 2015, which saw actor Ed Skrein take on the role of Martin.
After reuniting with Statham for Fast X, Leterrier, in a recent interview with ComicBook.com, now comments on possibly re-teaming with the actor once more for another Transporter movie. While it doesn’t sound like anything is officially in the works, the director is very much on board for a return to that universe with Statham. Check out Leterrier’s full comment below:
“I mean, that would be a dream. No, I mean we’ve shot commercials together, we’ve seen each other socially, but we hadn’t worked together for a long, long time and just seeing him being able to work with him, call action on the shot he was in.
“Directing him was just like it was so great and it was the beginning of his career, the very beginning of my career with two different people. But at the same time, you know, our heart is the same and our love for each other is the same. It was a true pleasure. So, I mean, why not like that? You know, Frank Martin is a great character. The Transporter is a great character. And Jason [Statham] is an amazing actor. We need more Transporter, right?”
Is More Transporter A Good Idea?
The first Transporter movie is a simple but fun action flick, and served as a great showcase for Statham’s acting and fighting prowess. Transporter 2, which Leterrier also directed, is much of the same, upping the ante and the budget. It wasn’t received quite as well critically, but basically doubled the first film’s box office. The third film, which Leterrier did not direct, was a fairly disappointing conclusion to Statham’s tenure as the character, failing to really push the envelope in any exciting ways.
Despite his best efforts, Skrein couldn’t fill Statham’s shoes in The Transporter Refueled and the movie was quite negatively received. Statham would subsequently touch on why he didn’t return, saying that it was ultimately a “business decision” due to the studio wanting him to commit to a new trilogy without having seen scripts for what he perceived to be not enough money. Statham’s reasoning then, suggests he may have been open to reprising his role under different circumstances, and this may still be the case.
That being said, Statham now has a number of other successful franchises that are likely more financially lucrative for him. In addition to starring in The Meg and its sequel, Statham is also being positioned to take center stage in the Expendables franchise following Sylvester Stallone’s departure in the next movie. The time for another Transporter movie may feel like it has now passed, but if both Leterrier and Statham return, it’s certainly possible that a sequel could recapture the magic of the first installment.