Statham is in for Transporter 3

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 26, 2008

For me, the Transporter movies are like crack. Like the Rambo films in the 80s, they seem to have an infinite shelf life — it is a series that could go on forever and I would not complain. At least, as long as they all stayed true to the first one. That doesn’t mean they are great movies though, just that I have found both of them to be enjoyable. Lets face it, Jason Statham is badass to the umpteenth degree.

So it is with a smile that I bring you news of Statham’s return to the role of Frank Martin, the ass-kicking courier whose style is unmistakable. Variety has confirmed that Statham has signed on to Transporter 3, which will be produced by Luc Besson and Steve Chasman for EuropaCorp. Louis Leterrier, the director of the first two films, will not return. He has been replaced by (and this is his real name) Oliver Megaton, who was second unit director on Hitman.

As Jeremy Smith over at CHUD points out, Megaton “takes his name from his birthday: the 6th of August 1965 is the 20th anniversary of the dropping of the Hiroshima A-bomb.” It is a fact that has nothing to do with the film at this point, but could come in handy should the film turn out to be a bastion of ass.

The project will shoot in Russia and France for 16 weeks sometime in the near future. And the way they crap out these action flicks, I wouldn’t be surprised if this doesn’t get a fall release. No matter the what or when, I’m on board for this one.

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