Jason Statham is an established name in Hollywood, but after 28 years in the industry, it may be time to shake things up and break some rules. In 1998, Statham found himself playing a major role in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which set him up for his next major appearance in Snatch in 2000.
Since then, Statham has come a long way from his work as a professional competitive diver, and his stint as a model, which saw him appear in a handful of music videos, becoming one of the few modern action stars dominating a genre of film in Hollywood that once stood out for shaping legends like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme and many others.
However, with almost three decades of work on the big screen, it may be time for Statham to turn his attention to something a little different, and follow in the footsteps of these other legends of the industry with something that is more suited to the modern era of streaming in a TV show. Of course, up to this point, Jason Statham has managed to build his career strictly on theatrical releases, but it may be time to branch out.
Jason Statham Is One Of Few Major Stars To Never Do A TV Show
While there used to be a strong distinction between TV actors and film actors, recent years have seen many of the biggest names in Hollywood step into a role on the small screen, and connect with audiences in a very different format. Stallone is just one such example, with his new show, Taylor Sheridan’s Tulse King, now entering its fourth season with the action legend as the leading man.
Meanwhile, there are very few holdouts who have managed to avoid a single stint on a TV show, with fellow action man, Tom Cruise, being one of the only real people left on this increasingly narrow list. As impressive as it is to say that neither has ever been a part of a TV show, while still managing to have regular work in the overtly more challenging landscape of feature films, TV has become a lot more prestigious in recent years.
Nowadays, TV is the home of some of the most compelling and moving stories. From Game of Thrones to Breaking Bad, or from Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, to Apple TV’s Severance, there is something to suit all styles and tastes, with increasingly huge talent behind these stunning short-form stories.
A Streaming Series Would Be Perfect For Jason Statham
In fact, with Guy Ritchie becoming such a massive proponent of TV, thanks to his work with The Gentlemen on Netflix and also his Young Sherlock series on Prime Video, this could be the ideal time for Statham to explore a new challenge.
After all, if we are being honest, Statham’s most recent theatrical releases, while pulling in substantial earnings at the box office, have proven to be a little same-y as far as the characters and stories are concerned. And while there is nothing wrong with Statham sticking to what he knows and delivering satisfying action scenes, his earliest collaborations with Ritchie showcased the reality that there is more to him as an actor than choreographed fighting.
Jason Statham is also a compelling actor when it comes to more comedic parts, and his earliest projects played into the more tongue-in-cheek humor that he is so capable of delivering. Now, it seems as though every role Jason Statham takes on is a dark, brooding ex-policeman/ex-soldier/ex-spy who embarks on an unstoppable quest for revenge.
If Jason Statham were to dive into a role on TV, potentially reuniting with Guy Ritchie in any of his shows, or perhaps something new, it could be the perfect time to dig deeper into a character and deliver more of what made audiences fall in love with him in the first place.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
