Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper has found success on streaming after becoming 2024’s first box office hit. Directed by David Ayer, the R-rated action flick stars Statham as Adam Clay, a former member of an elite special forces unit known as The Beekeepers who embarks on a campaign of vengeance after somebody close to him becomes the victim of a scam. The film, which also stars Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, and Emmy Raver-Lampman, was a box office success, earning $152.7 million after its release in theaters in January.

New data from Reelgood reveals that The Beekeeper was the ninth most popular title on streaming in the U.S. for the week of April 25 – May 1. The movie, which is currently available to stream on MGM+, beats Netflix’s Ripley, but falls short of titles like Dead Boy Detectives, Argylle, and Shōgun. Check out the full top 10 chart below:

The Beekeeper’s Success Explained

Jason Statham’s New Action Movie Was A Win With Audiences    

The Beekeeper’s reviews were generally positive, with critics praising the action, the unabashedly silly use of bee-related puns, and Statham’s ever-reliable movie star charisma. The positive reviews earned the movie a respectable 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s with audiences that the film really succeeded. As of writing, the film enjoys a strong 92% audience score, suggesting that it really struck a chord with general movie-goers. The 70% critics’ score marks Statham’s highest since 2015, and the audience score is the best of his career except for 1998’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

This strong audience response evidently helped generate positive word of mouth, which helped drive The Beekeeper to close to $153 million worldwide. Made on an estimated budget of $40 million, this makes the film an undeniable success, and it speaks to Statham’s continued strength as a leading man. While the character of Clay isn’t markedly different from the other no-nonsense action heroes Statham has played, Ayer has clearly built an interesting world around him and delivered some fun, gritty action in the process.

The Beekeeper’s ending wraps up the main story, but the movie’s success certainly raises questions about whether the film could spawn a new action franchise. A sequel hasn’t yet officially gotten the green light, but it’s possible that Ayer and Statham will reteam at some point down the line to continue Clay’s story and further flesh out the world. While a sequel to The Beeekeper isn’t yet a guarantee, audiences are evidently enjoying the film now that it’s available to watch at home on streaming.

Jason Statham Needs A New Hit Franchise

The Beekeeper Is The Perfect Fit    

In the Fast & Furious franchise, Statham plays Deckard Shaw, only one figure in a much larger ensemble. This franchise is also gearing up for the release of Fast & Furious 11, which could be the final installment. Statham was also positioned to take over The Expendables franchise from Sylvester Stallone, but the underperformance of Expend4bles last year has likely killed any momentum to make additional sequels. The Meg franchise, in which Statham plays diver Jonas Taylor, has been undeniably successful, but it doesn’t feel built around Statham as much as it’s built around giant, prehistoric sharks wreaking havoc.

Statham, then, hasn’t had his own successful, Transporter-like franchise for quite some time. With solid reviews from critics and a glowing response from audiences, The Beekeeper certainly has the potential to fill this void. The character of Clay may not be breaking the mold in terms of depth or his larger arc, but, with The Beekeeper, Ayer has proven that he understands how to film Statham in action and how to play to the actor’s strengths as an action star.

How Likely Is The Beekeeper 2?

An Announcement Could Be On The Way

So far, there’s been no official confirmation regarding The Beekeeper 2, but there’s certainly reason to be optimistic. The film’s box office alone clearly demonstrates that there’s an appetite for more. While Ayer hasn’t offered a definitive response regarding the status of a sequel, he did say in an interview with Inverse earlier this year regarding the larger Beekeeper mythology and universe that “there’s so much room to explore.”

Statham currently has two movies in his future, including Fast & Furious 11 and Levon’s Trade, the latter of which Ayer is directing. The actor and director evidently have a positive working relationship, which also bodes well for a sequel to The Beekeeper. It remains to be seen whether the 2024 action thriller will get a follow-up, but it wouldn’t be surprising if an announcement arrives over the next few months regarding the continuation of Clay’s story.

Source: Reelgood