The Bee Keeper - What We Know So Far
Jason Statham has become the go-to guy for action films. From the "Transporter" series to "Crank," he's proven time and time again he's not afraid to throw a punch, and his star has only risen ever since he came on board "The Fast and the Furious" franchise. In large part to major motion pictures like these, Statham has become one of the most profitable movie stars on the planet (via Times Higher Education), and he's not slowing down any time soon.
On August 27, 2021, Deadline reported that Statham had signed on to star in the upcoming flick "The Bee Keeper." The movie's set up at Miramax, and studio CEO Bill Block had this to say about the project, "'The Bee Keeper' explores universal themes with an unconventional story that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats. We're excited to bring another iconic and irresistible film to audiences around the globe."
So what exactly can you expect out of this production? Here's what we know about "The Bee Keeper" so far.
What's the release date for The Bee Keeper?
It may be a while until "The Bee Keeper" comes to a theater near you. According to Deadline, Miramax has already purchased the rights to a spec script written by Kurt Wimmer for seven figures, but a production start date isn't set until reportedly September 2022. It should shoot in Atlanta, Georgia and London, but that means it won't come to theaters until 2023 at the earliest. And that's assuming there aren't any more delays from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That gives the studio plenty of time to fill in some of the finer details. A director still isn't attached to the project, and the rest of the cast still needs to enter the mix. Jason Statham's involvement is bound to be of interest to countless fans. He's coming off a string of hits as of late with "The Meg," "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," and "Wrath of Man." Hopefully, "The Bee Keeper" keeps the streak alive.
Who's in the cast for The Bee Keeper?
"The Bee Keeper" is still very much in early development. As of this writing, Jason Statham is the only actor attached, and he's pretty busy at the moment. He's teamed up with his frequent collaborator Guy Ritchie for the upcoming spy flick "Five Eyes," which will follow the teaming up of a CIA agent and an MI6 operative who go to work for the Five Eyes network to prevent powerful technology from falling into the wrong hands. The two go back to 1998's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and for their future project, Statham will play Orson Fortune, one of the agents at the center of the movie.
As much as people hope Jason Statham returns for a sequel to the comedy "Spy," people shouldn't hold their breath. Director Paul Feig did an interview in 2018 where he said any hopes for "Spy 2" were dead in the water (via Collider). Still, "Five Eyes" and "The Bee Keeper" are more than enough to keep the actor's fans happy for the time being.
What's the plot of The Bee Keeper?
Deadline describes "The Bee Keeper" as a "lightning-paced thriller," so as much as people were hoping for a Statham-starring sequel to "The Bee Movie," they'll be sadly mistaken. It also states how the movie will be "steeped in the mythology of Bee Keeping," so it appears as though the title of the film is not a euphemism. Literal bee keepers will be in the mix to some extent, and we'd assume Statham would be the one caring for insects to an extent.
Thrillers are a bit of a specialty for screenwriter Kurt Wimmer. His previous writing credits include "Street Kings," "Law Abiding Citizen," "Salt," and 2015's "Point Break." Most recently, he wrote 2021's "The Misfits," which saw him venture more into comedic territory. There's no word yet on if "The Bee Keeper" will similarly fuse genres. The one thing we do know is that there's plenty of time to speculate.