Jason Statham set for thrilling role in 'John Doe' alongside successful collaborator David Ayer
David Ayer and Jason Statham are reuniting for their third project together. The successful director-actor duo will be working on an action-thriller titled 'John Doe,' according to Deadline. The movie has been penned by Zak Penn, the man behind blockbusters including 'Ready Player One' and 'Avengers.' Miramax is set to both produce and finance the title. Statham, via Punch Palace Productions, will also serve as a producer along with Paul Schiff and Zak Penn. Black Bear Pictures will bring the movie to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, possibly to sell its distribution rights in foreign territories. It might be an appealing project at the film festival due to the strong commercial track record of those involved.
As per its official synopsis, 'John Doe' will focus on the story “of a man with no memory, no past, and no name — and only one face he can’t forget: Eliza. As fragments of his identity return, he discovers he was trained for a mission still in motion and is being hunted by the very people who sent him. With enemies closing in, John must choose between finishing what he started… or protecting the one thing that makes him feel human: love.” Jason Statham will grace the screens as the Man With No Name. 'John Doe' will reportedly go on floors by September 2026. No further information about the cast or the release date has been announced as of this writing.
Miramax and Black Bear have previously collaborated with the actor-director duo on several successful projects like 'The Beekeeper' ($163M WW) and 'A Working Man' ($89M). "We’re thrilled to be reuniting Jason and David on John Doe, powered by Zak Penn’s sharp, propulsive script. With wildly inventive action and modern themes that will resonate with a global audience, this takes the Statham/Ayer collaboration to a new level," said Jonathan Glickman, CEO of Miramax. Statham is currently working with Miramax on the highly anticipated sequel 'The Beekeeper' 2, which Ayer will not be part of due to scheduling issues.
Statham is also joining hands with Black Bear for multiple projects alongside 'John Doe,' including Guy Ritchie’s action-thriller 'Viva La Madness' and David Leitch's 'Jason Statham Stole My Bike.' “Jason is a singular talent in the action genre who consistently delivers for his audience,” shared John Friedberg, President of International for Black Bear. “David has also firmly established himself as one of the top action directors working today. Their previous collaborations rank among the most successful independent action movies in recent years, and we are thrilled to deliver their third movie together in John Doe.” Ayer is currently working on the action-adventure film 'Heart of the Beast' with Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons, and the HBO Max series 'American Blue.'
