Jason Statham’s Next Movie Is An Action First For The Actor After 25 Years

After 25 years of fronting action movies, Jason Statham’s new film Mutiny will see him finally get his own entry in a classic subgenre. Following the success of the early Jason Statham/Guy Ritchie collaborations like Snatch, there’s a version of reality where Statham became a British character actor instead.

However, his background in martial arts saw him pursue action films instead. After Statham made his action debut in 2001’s Ghosts of Mars, he’s rarely stepped away from the genre. Sure, he’s popped up in the occasional drama or comedy like Spy, but Statham is a star who knows where his fanbase lies.

Incredibly, even after 20 years of fronting hit movies, Statham is as popular as ever. 2024’s The Beekeeper was one of his biggest solo hits, while Jason Statham franchises like The Expendables and Fast & Furious are still ongoing. He might have another new series on his hands with 2026’s Mutiny.

This casts Statham as a vengeful former cop who boards a ship to take down a human trafficking operation. Naturally, the bad guys don’t like this, so Statham’s Cole punches and shoots his way through them. It’s a setup that also reminds of Die Hard, which makes it an intriguing first in Statham’s career.

Mutiny Marks Jason Statham’s First “Die On A Blank” Movie

Following the success of the original Bruce Willis action movie, a new subgenre known as “Die Hard on a Blank” was born. These featured resourceful heroes trapped in isolated locations (a skyscaper, a train, a bus that can’t stop, etc) and typically fighting back against the well-armed group that’s hijacked it.

The formula doesn’t have to be that rigid, but given that he’s been an action mainstay for 20+ years, it’s genuinely surprising Statham has never fronted a Die Hard scenario before. Arguments could be made that Expendables 4 or Ghosts of Mars apply, but that would be stretching the definition of this subgenre to breaking point.

Mutiny is the first pure example of Statham doing a Die Hard, where his character works hard to save lives whilst killing many, many bad guys. As if to underline the connections, the trailer even sees his character climbing through vent shafts.

Every Major Action Star Has Their Own Die Hard Scenario Movie

After Die Hard, it felt like a rite of passage for action stars to get their own “Die Hard on a Blank”. Keanu Reeves got on the bus for Speed, Harrison Ford took flight in Air Force One, Steven Seagal took a boat and a train in the Under Siege duology, and so on.

Pretty much any action star has a Die Hard scenario on their CV, but again, Statham has somehow avoided this. It’s doubtful this was intentional, but it does make Mutiny a little more exciting. Who knows, if it’s a hit, Statham’s character could find himself kicking ass on a hijacked train, plane or space shuttle in a potential sequel.

Mutiny Feels Like An Unofficial Sequel To Another Die Hard On A Blank Movie

Mike Colter as Louis Gaspare and Gerard Butler as Brodie Torrance holding guns in Plane.

The Mutiny trailer makes it very clear it’s from director Jean-François Richet, who helmed 2023’s surprise hit Plane. This starred Gerard Butler and Mike Colter, the latter of whom was set to star in the bluntly titled Ship. Colter revealed in 2026 that this spinoff was essentially canned when Butler decided against making it.

Gerard Butler has another Die Hard-style action movie in the works with the forthcoming Empire City, where he plays a firefighter rescuing hostages inside New York’s Clybourn Building.

Looking at the trailer for Mutiny, it feels like a revival of Ship. Richet is a filmmaker who excels at taking simple premises and turning them into cool action movies, so it’s very possible his plans for Ship were reworked into Mutiny. Waste not, want not, right?