Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

David Ayer will direct Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper

Jason Statham’s big-screen characters have done everything from teaming up with other action icons to taking on a Megalodon shark. But Statham’s next character is set to enter the unexpectedly dangerous world of beekeepers. And now, the project has a director. Via Deadline, Suicide Squad helmer David Ayer has signed on to direct The Beekeeper.

According to the report, Miramax is hoping that The Beekeeper can become an action franchise. Deadline calls it a “fast-paced action-thriller, which is steeped in the mythology of beekeeping.” Statham’s character is a man on the path of vengeance with “national stakes.” He is also a former operative of the secret group who call themselves the Beekeepers. Salt screenwriter Kurt Wimmer wrote The Beekeeper on spec and successfully sold it to Miramax last fall.

Prior to becoming a director, Ayer wrote the screenplays for Training Day, S.W.A.T., and The Fast and the Furious. His directorial credits include Harsh Times, Street Kings, End of Watch, Sabotage, Fury, and Bright. Ayer’s most recent film was the crime thriller, The Tax Collector.

Jason Statham in Safe.

As noted by Deadline, both Ayer and Statham have a history at Miramax. Statham starred in Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man and Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre, both of which were produced by Miramax. The studio was also behind Ayer’s Fury.

Miramax’s Bill Block will produce the film. He also shared a statement to confirm the news:

“Having collaborated with Jason on Wrath Of Man and Operation Fortune, and with David on Fury, we are fortunate to partner with these masters of the new action genre to bring Kurt’s brilliant script to the first installment of this franchise.”

There isn’t currently a start date for The Beekeeper. Miramax is reportedly going to shop the film around  “at the upcoming Cannes market.” But it may take a few years before the project hits theaters.

Editors' Recommendations

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
Jason Statham rocks Clive Owen like a hurricane in this new Killer Elite trailer

The Killer Elite is an upcoming film based on the extremely controversial novel/book The Feather Men by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Fiennes has claimed that the book is “factional”, and that the main points—namely that a group of hitmen calling themselves “The Clinic” targeted members of the British SAS on order from a Dubai sheik seeking revenge, and they were confronted by a vigilante group of Special Forces members calling themselves "The Feather Men"—all occurred. Some of the details were said to be exaggerated or simply created for the book, but Fiennes released the names of the victims and released specific details. It led to a fairly contentious release when the book came out in 1991.

But regardless of whether or not it is 100-percent accurate, it is a movie about two special forces groups fighting a private war, starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. The potential for the movie to be awesome is there even if it turns out that a madman made the whole story up to impress an ex-girlfriend. Besides, when it comes to Hollywood, people are used to a fairly big divide between truth and what you see on screen.

Read more
Action heroes reunite in first trailer for The Expendables 4
Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables.

It's been nine years since The Expendables 3 hit theaters, but the long-awaited sequel is just a few months away. Jason Statham, last seen kicking a shark in the trailer for The Meg 2, is taking over the franchise from his friend and co-star, Sylvester Stallone. After headlining the first three Expendables films, Stallone has confirmed that this will be his final appearance as Barry Ross. But as you can see in the first trailer for The Expendables 4, Barry has one last mission for Statham's Lee Christmas.

After three films together, the Expendables are down to just four men: Ross, Christmas, Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), and Toll Road (Randy Couture). That's why it's time to bring in some new blood. Foremost among the latest additions is Megan Fox's Gina. The trailer indicates that Gina is a CIA agent who is more than capable of going head-to-head with Christmas. But since they're apparently in a relationship, he feels the need to go with her on at least one of her dangerous assignments.

Read more
DAZN: What it is, how to get it, and everything else you need to know
What is DAZN

Online streaming is quickly replacing cable and satellite services as the go-to way for people to enjoy their shows and movies at home, and although it took a while for broadcasters like ESPN to catch up, recent years have seen the gradual rollout of new streaming services made just for sports fans. Online sports streaming services are an especially good way to stream live boxing and MMA, and DAZN is shaping up to give ESPN+ a run for its money.

For cord-cutters who can’t get enough of boxing and mixed martial arts (beyond just Top Rank Boxing and UFC), DAZN will be a breath of fresh air, allowing you to enjoy more than 100 live fight nights -- no pay-per-view fees required -- right from your web browser or mobile, the DAZN app, or other compatible streaming devices. Here’s everything you need to know about what DAZN has to offer and how you can get started.

Read more