The EFM Market at Berlin is in full active mode, and according to Deadline, many buyers have been circling “Jason Statham Stole My Bike” — a big-ticket meta action-comedy set to be directed by David Leitch.
Jason Statham is set to star in what the pitch describes as “the role of a lifetime, playing global action superstar Jason Statham.”
No plot details for now, but filming is being lined up for May 2026, and the budget is around $80M. A PG-13 rating is being eyed. The script was penned by “BoJack Horseman” scribe Alison Flierl, which is nothing but a good sign as far as I’m concerned.
On-paper, the project sounds like “JCVD.” Remember that film? Featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, playing a fictionalized version of himself — washed-up, self-aware, and brutally honest about fame and failure. One can only hope Leitch’s film is as good as that one.
Whine all you want, but Statham remains a draw at the box office — his films are made fairly cheap, sometimes below mid-budget, released almost every January or February, and end up making a decent profit. What more could a studio head ask for? His credits include “The Meg,” “The Beekeeper,” “The Mechanic,” and “A Working Man.”
Meanwhile, Leitch specializes in thrills and, for the most part, has had a successful career directing high-octane action films. The stunt coordinator–turned–filmmaker has helmed “The Fall Guy,” “John Wick,” “Atomic Blonde,” “Deadpool 2,” “Hobbs and Shaw,” and “Bullet Train.” He has “How to Rob a Bank” hitting theaters later this year.
The DGA and IATSE are two of the most powerful showbiz unions, and If this merger does go through, they will have absolutely played a role in helping make it happen.