Like it or not, there’s apparently a new Transporter trilogy in the works.
Luc Besson is interested in crafting three more movies in the series staring Jason Statham. The filmmaker’s EuropaCorp production company has reportedly entered into an agreement with China’s Fundamental Films to bring the movies to fruition.
The partnership was struck last July and is expected to last for three years. This means that work on the new Transporter trilogy should be underway at some point in the very near future. Both companies will produce, finance, and distribute all three movies.
Reports suggest that each installment in the new trilogy will be budgeted between $30 and $40 million . It’s currently believed that at least one of the new films will be shot in China.
Unfortunately for fans of the series, there’s no word if Jason Statham will reprise his role as Frank Martin. Given that Statham’s involvement with the original trilogy is what drew audiences into theaters, moving forward without him seems a little silly.
Directed by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen, the original Transporter flick debuted in theaters back in 2002. The movie would go on to make around $43 million worldwide by the time the endeavor left cinemas. This number doesn’t seem quite so bad when you take the film’s estimated $21 million budget into consideration.
The second installment would fare a bit better at the box office than its predecessor. The movie made around $85 million internationally when all was said and done. The third film was even stronger; its worldwide total currently sits at approximately $108 million.
Since the movies seem to do more business overseas than they do in North America, it’s not altogether surprising that EuropaCorp is looking to partner up with a Chinese production company. It’s currently unclear when the next installment will make its way to the big screen.
Are you fan of the Transporter series? Would you watch another trilogy if Jason Statham doesn’t return?