Miramax is doubling down on its hive of high-octane action. The studio has officially greenlit The Beekeeper 2, a sequel to its surprise 2024 hit, which lured Jason Statham back into his signature role as a retired intelligence operative turned vengeful force of nature. This time, however, the reins have been handed to Indonesian horror-action auteur Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us), signaling a bold shift in tone for the franchise. David Ayer, who directed the first film, will transition to a producer role as he juggles Paramount’s Brad Pitt-led thriller The Heart of the Beast.
The original The Beekeeper—a gritty, mid-budget revenge thriller that grossed $152.7 million globally—proved Statham remains a bankable draw in an era where star-driven action vehicles often struggle. Its plot, which saw Statham’s enigmatic Adam Clay dismantling a phishing scam that destroyed his landlady’s charity, tapped into a zeitgeist of techno-paranoia with bone-crunching flair. The sequel, penned again by Kurt Wimmer (Law Abiding Citizen), promises to up the ante, though plot details remain under wraps. Expect Statham’s lethal beekeeper to trade his apiary metaphors for fresh mayhem when cameras roll this fall.
Tjahjanto’s hiring is a coup. Known for his hyperkinetic, blood-soaked style in Netflix’s The Big Four and The Night Comes for Us, the director has carved a niche in balletic brutality. His upcoming Nobody 2 (August 15), starring Bob Odenkirk, suggests he can balance dark humor with visceral set pieces—a tonal cocktail that could inject new life into the franchise. Yet, the question lingers: Can Tjahjanto’s operatic violence coexist with the first film’s grounded, Ayer-esque grit? Miramax seems confident, betting that his flair for chaos will broaden the sequel’s appeal without diluting Statham’s stoic magnetism.
Behind the scenes, the project underscores Miramax’s resurgence. Fresh off Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy ($66 million internationally) and prepping a Scary Movie reboot with the Wayans brothers, the studio is diversifying its slate while leaning into proven IP. The Beekeeper 2 joins a roster that includes Channing Tatum’s Roofman, Liam Neeson’s heist caper 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, and Scandalous, Colman Domingo’s directorial debut starring Sydney Sweeney. Amazon/MGM, which distributed the original during 2023’s strike-starved fall corridor, is circling domestic rights again—a logical move given the first film’s streaming-friendly appeal.
Statham, ever the pragmatic action savant, produces via Punch Palace Productions alongside Chris Long’s Long Shot. For Miramax, the sequel isn’t just about stoking nostalgia; it’s a litmus test for their ability to nurture mid-tier franchises in a blockbuster-obsessed landscape. If Tjahjanto’s lens captures both the intimacy of rage and the spectacle of swarm, The Beekeeper 2 might just prove that even in Hollywood’s ecosystem, there’s room for a little more sting.
Source: Deadline
