Summary

  • Jason Statham's transition from minor roles in Hollywood films to becoming a leading action star has significantly increased his box office numbers.
  • Statham's versatile acting skills are evident in his roles in films like "Spy," where he showcased dry wit in a different genre.
  • Statham's involvement in the "Fast & Furious" franchise correlated with the financial success of the series, with his role growing over time.

Jason Statham has become one of the biggest action stars in cinema over the last 30 years, with his box office earnings ballooning in the last decade. The actor began his career with small projects in the '90s before finally landing roles in serious action movies in the early 2000s, like The Transporter. Since that time, his career has seen him go from strength to strength as one of the forefront actors in Hollywood, frequently appearing in action roles as a highly skilled fighter, assassin, or vigilante.

In fact, Jason Statham is now one of the biggest actors in action films of the last decade, popping up in dozens of action-packed roles. Statham's skills and appeal are also reflected in the growing box office numbers for his films. From appearing in smaller independent and British projects to now leading action movies in Hollywood, Statham's career has come a long way, and he has become one of the most bankable action stars in cinema.

All box office figures are correct according to Box Office Mojo.

10 Collateral (2004)

Box Office Total: $220,239,925

Tom Cruise as Vincent with back turned to camera talking to Jason Statham's Airport Man in Collateral

Release Date
August 6, 2004
Runtime
120 minutes
Director
Michael Mann
Writers
Stuart Beattie
Studio(s)
DreamWorks Distribution
Distributor(s)
DreamWorks Distribution

At the bottom of the list, Jason Statham's tenth-highest-earning movie saw him in a more minor role. Collateral, starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, was one of the earliest Hollywood pictures that Statham was cast in, and he landed the part of "Airport Man." Cruise plays a hitman who hires Foxx to drive him to multiple locations for a considerable payout, but as things start to get messy, Foxx realizes that he has gotten himself caught in the middle of something big. Statham's role is minor, but it did get his foot in the door for larger projects to come.

9 Spy (2015)

Box Office Total: $235,666,219

Melissa McCarthy linking arms with Jason Statham in Spy
Spy

WHERE TO WATCH

Release Date
June 15, 2015
Runtime
120 Minutes
Director
Paul Feig
Writers
Paul Feig
Studio(s)
20th Century
Distributor(s)
20th Century

Statham's role in the action comedy movie Spy was much more prominent, but also a departure from his typical roles. Statham plays a field agent who comes into with Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), as she tries to live out her dreams of having a job like his. Susan is typically deskbound in her position at the CIA, but when a mission calls for an unknown, she jumps at the chance to get involved. Statham's Rick Ford has no confidence in Susan's abilities and largely finds her a nuisance. Statham does well in his delivery of dry wit throughout the film.

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8 The Expendables (2010)

Box Office Total: $274,470,394

The Expendables

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Release Date
August 13, 2010
Runtime
103 minutes
Writers
Dave Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
Studio(s)
Lionsgate
Distributor(s)
Lionsgate

The Expendables is an homage to action movies of the '80s and '90s, and Statham appears alongside some of the greats of the genre in this first entry. While the film received mixed reviews, the action sequences and performances of the stars were praised, and the movie was a significant financial success. The premise was simple and delivered on the promise of bringing familiar action heroes back into the limelight along with modern action stars for an explosive extravaganza. This was likely another turning point for Statham in his career as he progressed from action actor to action star.

Movie Title

Box Office Total

Budget

The Expendables

$274,470,394

$80,000,000

The Expendables 2

$314,975,955

$100,000,000

The Expendables 3

$214,657,577

$100,000,000

Expend4bles

$37,917,985

$100,000,000

7 The Expendables 2 (2012)

Box Office Total: $314,975,955

Jason Statham Sylvester Stallone The Expendables 2
The Expendables 2 Movie Poster

Your Rating

The Expendables 2
Release Date
August 12, 2012
Runtime
1h 43m
Director
Simon West

WHERE TO WATCH

Writers
Sylvester Stallone, Richard Wenk
Distributor(s)
Lionsgate

Just two years later, Statham returned to the role of Lee Christmas in The Expendables 2. The sequel went even bigger, pulling in a second team of action stars and seeing the two teams go head-to-head. As a result, The Expendables 2 easily overtook the first film in total sales. However, this was also the beginning of the end for the franchise, as the next fmovie earned far less, and the fourth entry would go on to be a huge financial disappointment. But The Expendables 2 continues to have fun with the concept of bringing so many action heroes together.

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6 Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Box Office Total: $397,700,317

The Meg 2: The Trench

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Release Date
August 4, 2023
Runtime
116 Minutes
Director
Ben Wheatley
Studio(s)
CMC Pictures, DF Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Apelles Entertainment

Before Statham took up acting, he was a competitive diver, and those skills came in useful for his role as Jonas Taylor in this series about a giant Megalodon shark. The sequel takes place eight years after the events of the original movie and sees Taylor in a fatherly role, helping to raise the child of his deceased colleague, Zhang, while also fighting crime and continuing his research in the depths of the ocean. The film earned almost $400 million at the box office, which was a considerable drop-off from the first entry, but still a significant sum.

Movie Title

Box Office Total

Budget

The Meg

$529,338,515

$130,000,000

Meg 2: The Trench

$397,700,955

$129,000,000

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5 The Meg (2018)

Box Office Total: $529,338,515

Jonas stabs a meg in the eye in The Meg
The Meg

WHERE TO WATCH

Release Date
August 10, 2018
Runtime
113 Minutes
Director
Jon Turteltaub
Writers
James Vanderbilt

The Meg stars Jason Statham as one of the first people to encounter the Megalodon which measures about 75 feet long, but other researchers refuse to believe his s. The film follows the exploration of the depths of the ocean, looking to unlock the secrets buried in the most unfamiliar parts of the sea. Statham is cast as the lead in this movie and does an excellent job delivering a convincing performance as a ionate actor, and also as the action hero who exerts every effort to rescue his crew, earning more than half a billion at the box office.

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4 Fast X (2023)

Box Office Total: $704,875,015

Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw in a Grey Hoodie in Fast X
Fast X

WHERE TO WATCH

Release Date
May 19, 2023
Runtime
141 Minutes
Director
Louis Leterrier
Writers
Justin Lin, Dan Mazeau, Gary Scott Thompson

The Fast & Furious franchise has changed a lot since the first movie was released in 2001. The films are now more action-packed and barely have any resemblance to the earlier entries, but when considering their success, the biggest increase came after this transition to more heroic action. Statham made his franchise debut in Furious 7, and his role in the series has continued to grow since then. Fast X is the lowest-earning entry from the franchise on this list, with Statham appearing briefly when Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) goes to London to ask for his help.

Movie Title

Box Office Total

Budget

The Fast and the Furious

$207,517,509

$38,000,000

2 Fast 2 Furious

$236,350,661

$76,000,000

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

$158,964,610

$85,000,000

Fast & Furious

$360,366,870

$85,000,000

Fast Five

$626,137,675

$125,000,000

Fast & Furious 6

$788,680,960

$160,000,000

Furious 7

$1,515,341,399

$190,000,000

The Fate of the Furious

$1,236,005,118

$250,000,000

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

$760,732,926

$200,000,000

F9: The Fast Saga

$726,229,501

$200,000,000

Fast X

$704,875,015

$340,000,000

3 Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

Box Office Total: $760,732,926

Release Date
August 1, 2019
Director
David Leitch
Writers
Chris Morgan, Gary Scott Thompson

The first spin-off in the Fast & Furious franchise stars Statham and Dwayne Johnson as former enemies who turn reluctant allies to track down Brixton Lore, played by Idris Elba. The movie is action-packed and fits right into the Fast & Furious universe, which earned it a spot in the top three of Statham's all-time highest-earning films. Statham has a leading role with his character's name appearing in the title and, once again, he proves his abilities as an all-out action hero.

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2 The Fate Of The Furious (2017)

Box Office Total: $1,236,005,118

Jason Statham in The Fate of the Furious looking angry in the prison riot scene

Release Date
April 14, 2017
Runtime
136 minutes
Director
F. Gary Gray
Writers
Chris Morgan

The Fate of the Furious is the eighth installment in the mainline series and comes just a few movies into the format change, but it is also the mainline film where Statham's character, Deckard Shaw, begins to show his change of heart.

Before The Fate of the Furious, Dom and Shaw were bitter rivals after Dom was involved in an altercation that hospitalized Shaw's brother. This movie sees them settle their differences, and Shaw s forces with Dom in order to take down an even bigger threat. This is also one of only two films in the series to earn over $1 billion, with Statham playing a significant role in the project.

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3

1 Furious 7 (2015)

Box Office Total: $1,515,341,399

Furious 7

WHERE TO WATCH

Release Date
April 3, 2015
Runtime
2h 20m
Director
James Wan
Writers
Chris Morgan

Continuing that tradition, the highest-earning film in the franchise, which raked in over $1.5 billion, is the movie that most prominently features Statham as the primary antagonist. It's likely no coincidence that this movie is often regarded as the most favorable in the franchise, considering Statham's talent for playing the rival, and vengeful brother of Owen Shaw. Jason Statham's character puts Dom and his crew through their paces, becoming one of their most powerful and imposing rivals, before eventually finding common ground and settling their differences.