Jason Statham is game for just about anything and everything in his movies. Clamping jumper cables to his nipples and tongue? Sounds like a hoot! Pretending to stab a giant prehistoric shark in the eye? Just tell him where to aim. Delivering the line, “I’m a Beekeeper. I protect the hive. Sometimes I use fire to smoke out hornets” with utter conviction? Hurry up and give him an Oscar already.

Rarely one to turn his nose up at a chance to earn a paycheck, Statham has been noticeably reticent to sign up for a Marvel or DC comic book movie. Even in the middle of the superhero gold rush of the last 20 years, The Stath stuck to playing rugged mavericks with a carefully maintained layer of scruff on their mugs in macho actioners by the likes of Guy Ritchie and Sylvester Stallone. His big-budget franchise outings were similarly devoid of fantasy elements — at least the kind of outright magic and imaginative sci-fi you’d find in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If you were to ask Statham, like Variety did in December 2023, what the holdup is, he would tell you it’s nothing personal against the genre. “I don’t have a big appetite for a costume, with cape and tights,” he admitted. “I like old-school ’80s movies. I was inspired by people like Stallone and Arnold [Schwarzenegger]. And even before those guys, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and [Clint] Eastwood. I just couldn’t see any of those guys putting on a cape and a mask and going around on wires.”

Eastwood, for the record, was once eyed to play an older Bruce Wayne in an abandoned “Batman Beyond” movie, while Stallone and Schwarzenegger have both done the superhero rodeo by now (with Stallone even joining the MCU itself). All the same, you can grasp what Statham is getting at.

Different genre strokes for different folks

Warner Bros. Pictures

Save for the occasional side trip into sci-fi or comedy, Statham likes his action movies to be gruff, muscular, and somewhat based in reality … or, at the very least, the version of reality where you can chuck a pot of nectar by-product at your opponent, toss your lighter at them, and casually stroll away as the sticky-sweet substance lights up your enemy like it’s the Fourth of July. (Sorry to disappoint, kiddos, but we tested it ourselves: Contrary to what “The Beekeeper” would have you believe, honey is not actually “flammable as f***.”)

Per The Stath:

“Cinema is like music. Some people like Country and Western, others like heavy metal. I’m drawn to a bit more of a grounded kind of action. [Laughs] Well, I like being grounded to be an element we inject into the crazy world that we’re in.”

With the superhero bubble having, possibly for real this time, finally burst, perhaps journalists will no longer be pressured into asking everyone they interview why they haven’t converted to the church of Marvel and DC yet. While there are plenty of comic book characters that I could envision Statham playing (those nearly decade-old rumors about him being in the running for Bullseye on the “Daredevil” series were, if nothing else, on the right track), there’s no reason that he has to do the Marvel do-si-do. Let him stick to making “Meg 3: The Search for Shark” instead for as long as he’s willing and able.

The Unlikelihood of Jason Statham Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Jason Statham has a preference for action films that exude hardiness, are grounded in reality, and lean towards physical prowess over fantastical elements. He’s become well-known for scenes that bend the rules of reality, yes, but still feel more tangible than your average superhero skirmish. Recall for instance the humorously exaggerated sequence of lobbing a honey pot at an adversary, a scene that, though it might work in the stylized universe of his film “The Beekeeper,” would not translate well into the practical world where, as a disappointing fact check reveals, honey notably lacks the properties of an incendiary.

Statham himself has commented on his tastes in film:

“Cinema is like music. Some people like Country and Western, others like heavy metal. I’m drawn to a bit more of a grounded kind of action. [Laughs] Well, I like being grounded to be an element we inject into the crazy world that we’re in.”

As the fervor for superhero flicks shows signs of waning, the obligation for every actor to explain their absence from franchises like Marvel and DC may dissipate. Although Statham would likely excel in a comic book role – considering the consistent speculation about him potentially playing Bullseye on the “Daredevil” series – there’s no imperative that he must engage with Marvel’s offerings. His fans might prefer to see him continue on in projects akin to “Meg 3: The Search for Shark,” provided he retains the enthusiasm for such roles.

FAQ About Jason Statham and Marvel Movies

Has Jason Statham ever been considered for a Marvel role?

Yes, there were rumors about him being considered for the role of Bullseye in the “Daredevil” series, although nothing came of those rumors.
Does Jason Statham enjoy superhero movies?

Statham seems to prefer more grounded action movies and has not shown a particular interest in starring in superhero films.
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Can we expect to see Jason Statham in any superhero movies in the future?

While anything is possible, Jason Statham’s own statements and his film choices suggest it’s not highly likely he will appear in a superhero movie any time soon.

Conclusion

Jason Statham’s film career is characterized by gritty, realistic action that stands in contrast to the over-the-top spectacle found in many superhero movies. His own remarks reveal a preference for films that remain somewhat tethered to reality, even within their own narrative extremes. While Statham possesses the physicality and charisma that might fit within the Marvel or DC universes, his current trajectory implies that fans might not see him take on the role of a comic book character. Instead, Statham is more apt to pursue projects that align with his action hero brand, leaving the capes and cosmic battles to his Hollywood peers.