Jason Statham has fought sharks, criminals, mercenaries and the occasional global conspiracy. His next adversary? Possibly public transportation etiquette.

The newly announced action-comedy Jason Statham Stole My Bike will see Jason Statham playing, as insiders put it, “in the role of a lifetime, playing global action superstar Jason Statham.”

Yes — this time, he’s not portraying a mechanic-turned-assassin or a beekeeper with a vengeance. He’s portraying himself, says Empire.

Big budget, bigger wink

Sources close to the project say the “budget is being set north of $80M—an increasingly rare proposition in the indie marketplace.” In other words, this is technically an indie film — the kind of indie that travels business class.

Directed by David Leitch — who previously teamed with Statham on Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and helmed Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train — the film is described as a PG-13, tongue-in-cheek action-comedy packed with large-scale set pieces.

If Leitch’s résumé is any guide, that probably means slow-motion walks, sharp comedic timing and at least one sequence involving vehicles behaving badly.

The script comes from Alison Flierl (BoJack Horseman), suggesting the film may have as many punchlines as punches.

A hot ticket in Berlin

The project debuted as one of the more commercially attractive offerings at the European Film Market in Berlin, standing out among a thinner crop of big-budget fare.

Black Bear is handling international sales and has committed to a wide domestic release. According to insiders, “Amazon is circling rights in multiple territories,” indicating the marketplace sees more than just a punchline in the premise.

Production is scheduled to begin in May 2026 — though one online commenter has already predicted it’s “Coming January 2028 no doubt.” Studio calendars, like stunt sequences, can shift unexpectedly.

The internet weighs in

As with any Statham project, the comment section quickly became its own action arena.

One reader, MatthewP, argued that the actor “had reached parody status 2 years ago,” citing recent films as “stereotypical nonsense.” He added that Hollywood should give more opportunity to action talent from the direct-to-video world, naming performers such as Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins and Tony Jaa.

Others took the opposite stance. One fan embraced the concept outright:

“I like this new trend. Actors are IP too!”

Another commenter, Sly, offered a succinct endorsement, calling Statham the “Last True Action Hero.”

The brand is the star

The film arrives amid a broader industry conversation about star power in a franchise-heavy era. If superheroes and toy lines can anchor cinematic universes, why not a persona?

Statham’s screen image — stoic, efficient, allergic to nonsense — is already a kind of shorthand. Jason Statham Stole My Bike appears to lean into that familiarity rather than shy away from it, inviting audiences to laugh with the brand instead of simply watching it scowl.

Whether the film becomes a box-office knockout or a very expensive inside joke remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: in an industry chasing intellectual property, Jason Statham himself may now qualify as one.