Action icon Jason Statham reprises one of his most beloved roles, but not quite as you’d expect (or no doubt hope). The Beekeeper star returns as The Transporter Frank Martin in a new ad campaign for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, with The Stath slipping back into one of Martin’s suits to show-off the new Transporter. The ad declares that “The Transporter is back” before revealing Statham back in character and standing with the vehicle which, of course, shares a name with the action star’s former franchise.
“We are thrilled to have Jason Statham as the face of our new campaign,” Sandra Waidelich, Head of Sales & Marketing Experience at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said of the actor’s involvement. More ads with Statham as Frank Martin are expected to follow, meaning we could see the action icon partake in some Transporter-esque chases while behind the wheel of VWCV vehicle. You can check out the new ad with Jason Statham back in the driving seat as The Transporter’s Frank Martin below.
The Transporter franchise began back in 2002, and introduces Statham as Frank Martin, an ex-soldier turned mercenary driver living in France who finds himself involved in a people smuggling plot. The Transporter franchise spawned two sequels, 2005’s Transporter 2 and 2008’s Transporter 3, before Statham decided to walk away and the series was rebooted, first as a TV series led by Bosch star Chris Vance and then with a movie, The Transporter Refueled, in 2015 and starring Deadpool’s Ed Skrein.
While audiences continue to be hopeful that Statham will return to The Transporter someday, the actor has previously revealed why he departed the franchise. Speaking with Vulture back in April 2015, Statham revealed that the studio wanted him to “sign on and do three more films without even seeing a script,” which was something he could not agree to.
Jason Statham Fans Are Buzzing for The Beekeeper 2
Though we may never again see Statham behind the wheel as The Transporter in a sequel, it may not matter, as the action superstar has now potentially launched a successful new franchise with this year’s The Beekeeper. The action thriller finds Statham on familiar ground as the mysterious Adam Clay who, after losing a dear friend to a scam, leaves his quiet beekeeping ways behind and enacts a brutal campaign for vengeance. Of course, as is often the case with these things, Clay turns out to be an ex-black ops agent who once worked for a secret organization known as the Beekeepers.
The action outing became one of the biggest surprise hits of the year, grossing $152.7 million at the worldwide box office, making it one of The Stath’s biggest solo hits to date, and achieving a solid 71% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. While a sequel has yet to be officially confirmed, director David Ayer has previously teased what audiences can expect from The Beekeeper 2.
“I mean, I’m fascinated by the mythology of the beekeepers. We’ve cracked the door a little bit and seen what they can do. Now I want to know: who are they, where did they come from, and where are they going? And where did Jason come from in all this? There’s so much more to explore and it’s another opportunity to work with Jason.”
The Beekeeper
is now available to stream on
Prime Video
.