10 Action Stars That Jason Statham Should Fight On-Screen
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Jason Statham has been a staple in the action genre for so long that he has managed to cross paths with some of Hollywood’s heavyweights. His legitimate martial arts background, combined with his sharp British wit, has allowed The Beekeeper star to hold his own opposite the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne Johnson on the big screen. However, if Statham wants to continue delivering hits for action movie fans worldwide, he will need some matinée idols to match up with.
Between cinematic icons and rising young stars, these are the ten action-centric actors that could potentially push Statham to the limit on film. Some of the names on this list are actors he has crossed paths with in movies, but never shared a fight scene with. Others are a dream waiting to be realized sooner rather than later.
10
Tom Cruise
Just because the legendary Mission: Impossible’s days of saving the world from global threats are done does not mean his penchant for executing death-defying stunts will not continue. Cruise is a movie star without limits when it comes to edge-of-your-seat entertainment. Evidenced by his slick combat moves in the M:I franchise and Jack Reacher, Cruise could have an electric encounter with Statham.
Speaking of electric encounters, Cruise and Statham shared the screen one time during the opening airport sequence in Michael Mann’s Collateral. Fans online have long suspected that Statham was actually making a cameo as The Transporter’s Frank Martin, handing off an important package to Cruise’s ruthless hitman. Collateral screenwriter Stuart Beattie would go on to confirm the theory on the Collateral Confessions podcast in 2022.
“I asked Jason about that… Yeah, absolutely. Yes, it’s canon. Same world… the studio will never admit to that, but in my head, absolutely it’s him.”
9
Jackie Chan
The Hong Kong action star, best known for the Rush Hour trilogy and numerous martial arts classics, would be a unique matchup for the British badass. Jackie Chan’s fusion of Bruce Lee’s quickness and Buster Keaton’s comedic physicality is a total contrast to the sharp brutality of Statham. Given the occasional detour into comedic fare with hits such as Spy and the Steve Martin-led Pink Panther reboot, Statham could easily restrain the violence factor for a fun battle against the creatively resourceful Chan.
Statham credits Lee’s 1973 classic Enter the Dragon as the movie that inspired him to get into show business. Ironically, Chan played an extra henchman who literally felt Lee’s wrath when he was legitimately punched in the face during a take. Talk about paying dues.
8
Dave Bautista
The former pro wrestler-turned-actor has come a long way from his Guardians of the Galaxy days. Dave Bautista has made some fascinating career choices over the years, jumping between physically menacing villains (Spectre, Dune) and tortured heroes (Army of the Dead, Bushwick) while earning the respect of such prestige filmmakers as Denis Villeneuve and M. Night Shyamalan. If Bautista were to bring his massive brutality from Spectre against Statham in an action movie, it would be the cinematic battle for the ages.
Bautista shares one interesting distinction from the actors on this list: taking over a role intended for the Crank star. In 2019, Bautista replaced Statham as a brain-disease-ridden assassin finding love in The Killer’s Game. Released in 2024, the film was savaged by critics with a rotten 46% score on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
7
Michael Jai White
Since his career was launched with 1997’s Spawn, Michael Jai White has become a staple of straight-to-video action fare for nearly three decades. Trained in nine different styles of martial arts since childhood, the actor has graced the screen opposite such action icons as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren, and Tony Jaa, to name a few. A matchup between White and Statham would be like fighting a mirror image due to their equal size, speed, and technique.
Like Statham, White has dipped his toe into comedy on numerous occasions, most notably 2019’s Black Dynamite and its short-lived animated series. In 2024, White reunited with his Black Dynamite co-stars in the Western parody, Outlaw Johnny Black.
6
John Cena
Like Johnson and Bautista, the 17-time WWE champion evolved from one-dimensional action films like The Marine to leading critically-praised blockbusters such as The Suicide Squad and Bumblebee. Blending humor and physical feats reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cena has a natural charisma that has made him one of the most in-demand action stars of today. Though they appeared together in F9: The Fast Saga and Fast X, neither Cena’s Jakob Toretto nor Statham’s Deckard Shaw has yet to throw down on screen.
If there is one filmmaker who wants to see a Cena vs. Statham matchup happen, it is Paul Feig. The director of Amazon’s action-comedy Jackpot! teased to The Direct about bringing his Spy actor into a potential sequel opposite Cena’s Ninja Turtles-loving Lottery protection agent.
5
Gerard Butler
If anyone matches Statham in the non-stop output of popcorn-heavy action films, it is Gerard Butler. Both stars often play working-class heroes punishing their rich and powerful enemies, but with a clear difference in styles. Where Statham’s characters rely on controlled, tactical measures, Butler’s characters are usually put into desperation mode, which makes them equally dangerous.
Both stars share working relationships with directors Guy Ritchie, F. Gary Gray, and Ric Roman Waugh. The latter filmmaker of Statham’s next project, Shelter, compared the star to Butler’s role in Greenland 2: Migration in an interview with CBR.
“They’re just real dudes, you know. And like, Jason’s just got this swagger about him and lives his life as a real family man, and so forth. And with [Butler], you know, his sensitivity and how he cares about people and has this grounded sense, you know, it fits the program for these characters that we’ve been taking on.”
4
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen consistently delivers elegance and mystique anytime he is cast in a major action franchise, whether it is Star Wars, John Wick, or Ip Man. Trained in mixed martial arts like Statham, Yen’s impressive resume has even impressed Statham’s War co-star Jet Li, who considers him the best fighter in Hong Kong cinema. The fact that Yen and Statham have yet to be cast in the cameo movie is mind-boggling.
While they have yet to come face-to-face on film, Yen and Statham competed against each other remotely. In 2019, both stars took part in a “Bottle Cap Challenge” stunt on social media where they had to untwist the cap by executing a backspin kick. The John Wick: Chapter 4 actor surprised everyone by winning the challenge with a glass bottle instead of a plastic one while blindfolded.
3
Denzel Washington
Man on Fire and The Equalizer are proof that Denzel Washington can overtake his enemies in unspeakable manners, as well as mentally outsmart them. The latter film and its two sequels often show the two-time Oscar winner getting one step ahead of the bad guys without breaking a sweat. The way he clears a room full of thugs in a matter of seconds resembles the kind of street-level tactics of Statham’s signature roles in The Beekeeper and A Working Man.
Upon news about early discussions to appear in Black Panther 3, Washington hinted at retirement in the next few years. As the legendary actor is eyeing at least two more Equalizer installments before calling it a day, it is time for Washington’s Robert McCall to meet his match in an equally dangerous Statham.
2
Keanu Reeves
Had it not been for John Wick, there might not be The Beekeeper. Keanu Reeves may have emerged as a ‘90s action star with classics such as Point Break, Speed, and The Matrix. But the Wick franchise showcased his messy but lethal approach to the genre in contrast to his past hits.
Reeves’s signature character has taken punishment from the likes of Mark Dacascos and Scott Adkins. Statham could be the next formidable foe in a potential John Wick 5.
1
Tom Hardy
From Bronson to his brooding portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy brings controlled chaos to every transformative performance. His characters rarely ever fight clean on the big screen. As evidenced by his roles in Warrior and Mad Max: Fury Road, Hardy could get down and dirty in a hypothetical brawl against Statham in a movie.
Hardy’s MobLand executive producer Guy Ritchie will soon be reuniting with Statham on Viva La Madness, a stand-alone follow-up to 2004’s Layer Cake. Continuing in the tradition of Ritchie’s brand of chaotic London underworld activities, this would be the perfect setup for a Statham/Hardy collaboration.
- Release Date
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May 15, 2015
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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George Miller
- Writers
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Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris
- Producers
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Doug Mitchell, P.J. Voeten
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