Arguably one of the silver screen’s most sensational and admired action superstars,Jason Stathamhas established himself asHollywood’s go-to leading manand a true force to be reckoned with in every movie he tackles. Celebrated for portraying tough and resilient characters, Statham made his cinematic film debut inGuy Ritchie’s acclaimed black crime comedyLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,launching both the actor anddirector’s illustrious careersand kickstarting an enduring personal and professional relationship.
The ultimate dream team have collaborated on five unforgettable movies together since 1998, with their most recent project being the star-studded 2023 action comedyOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre.Together, their joint big-screen endeavors have grossed more than $270 million worldwide at the box office and helped both men achieve a devoted and passionate fanbase, with audiences flocking to theaters anytime the duo team up for another action extravaganza. Let’s explore their films and their respective box office results.
5’Revolver' (2005)
$6.7 Million
Jason Statham starred as a man on a mission for revenge in the action thrillerRevolver, which focuses on infamous gambler and gangster Jake Green as he is finally released from prison after completing a seven-year stint for a crime he didn’t commit, having opted to spend his time in solitary confinement to finish his sentence quicker. When Green returns home, he sets out to exact vengeance against mobster Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta) but finds his plan and existence turned upside down when he discovers he has only a few days to live.
A Critical & Commercial Misfire
Both the lowest-grossing and most poorly received collaboration between the famed Hollywood duo,Revolverwas amajor box office blunderand made just $6.7 million against its $27 million budget. The thriller was critically panned and deemed too convoluted and pretentious, with many regarding it as Ritchie’s weakest silver screen creation and giving the film an abysmal 15% Rotten Tomatoes rating. In fact, positive reviews were so far and few between forRevolverthat its distributors had to pay for a positive quote from The Sun in their promotional section to be included on its poster.
4’Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' (1998)
$28.1 Million
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Eddy (Nick Moran) convinces three friends to pool funds for a high-stakes poker game against local crime boss Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty). Harry cheats and Eddy loses, giving him a week to pay back 500,000 pounds or hand over his father’s pub. Desperate, Eddy and his friends wait for their neighbors to rob some drug dealers, then rob the robbers in turn. After both thefts, the number of interested criminal parties increases, with the four friends in dangerously over their heads.
In the career-defining role that introduced Statham to audiences all across the world, the black crime comedyLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsfeatures the talents of Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, and Nick Moran and marks Ritchie’sdazzling directorial debut, with the lauded flick following four small-time criminals and longtime pals Eddie (Moran), Tom (Flemyng), Soap (Fletcher), and Bacon (Statham) as they scramble to pay a massive gambling debt and decide to steal from robbers, leading to an unexpected domino effect.
Jason Statham’s First Movie Is Still His Best
Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels introduced Jason Statham to cinema with a bang back in 1998.
A Sensational Hollywood Debut
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelswas Statham and Ritchie’s first big screen extravaganza and winningly showcased the pair’s universal appeal and talents both in front of and behind the camera. Made on a modest budget of $1.4 million, the entertaining crime comedy earned $28.1 million and garnered rave reviews from critics for its delightful twists and turns, clever screenplay, and captivating performances. The film earned a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film and has landed on numerous lists as one of the best British movies of all time, paving the way for Ritchie’s illustrious career.
3’Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre' (2023)
$49 Million
Read Our Review
Touting a star-studded ensemble castled by Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant, and Josh Hartnett, the spy action comedyOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerrecenters on super spy Orson Fortune as he reluctantly assembles an eclectic team of some of the world’s finest operatives to prevent the sale of a potentially catastrophic weapons technology. Fortune and the group must enlist the help of movie star Danny Francesco (Hartnett) to distract its billionaire creator Greg Simmond (Grant), with side-splitting chaos naturally ensuing.
Production Is Plagued by Controversy
Operation Fortunefaced numerous setbacks before finally debuting in March 2023, as the action comedy was pulled from the release schedule due to its depiction of gangsters of Ukrainian nationality, with the villainous Simmond’s henchmen being from the country in the film. Producers felt it was in bad taste to release the project in light of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War as it notably depicted the antagonistsas “Ukrainian baddies.”
After its initial delay,Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerrewas finally released in theaters and digitally one month later, though its many hiccups and hurdles ultimately led to the movie making just $49 million worldwide against a budget of $50 million. Audiences thoroughly enjoyed the fun flick far more than critics and gave it a B+ CinemaScore and 82% Popcornmeter, a far cry from its 51% Tomatometer, with fans appreciating its thrilling action sequences and entertaining humor.
2’Snatch' (2000)
$83.6 Million
Often considered to be among Ritchie’s greatest cinematic achievements, his cult classic crime comedySnatchfeatures two interconnected plots and tells the intriguing story of illegal boxing promoter and gambling machine shop owner Turkish (Statham) as he finds himself on the bad side of brutal gangster Brick Top (Alan Ford) after his boxer Mickey (Brad Pitt) fails to throw his fight like previously agreed upon. The infuriated Brick demands Mickey lose the next showdown, forcing Turkish to try and convince the headstrong fighter to agree.
Ritchie’s Beloved Cult Classic Knockout
Snatchalso includes a parallel storyline in which multiple criminals scramble to try and locate an 86-carat diamond, as Franky Four-Fingers (Benicio del Toro) shows up in London to find and punish those responsible for the robbery.The crime comedywas made on a budget of just $10 million and dominated the box office during its theatrical run, raking in $83.6 million and becoming a certified critical and commercial triumph for Ritchie while retaining his signature style fromLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Snatchhas a 93% Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter and is undeniably the director’s most beloved fan-favorite.
Jason Statham’s 10 Most Lucrative Box-Office Wins
Jason Statham is the biggest action star in the game, and these movies are his biggest hits.
1’Wrath of Man' (2021)
$104 Million
Wrath of Man
The plot follows H, a cold and mysterious character working at a cash truck company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles each week. Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham.
Loosely inspired by the French filmCash Truck,Ritchie’s gripping action thrillerWrath of Manspectacularly reunites the director with his go-to star Statham, who delivers a powerhouse performance as a grief-stricken father on an epic mission to deliver retribution for the brutal murder of his son. Statham appears as the silent and unsettling H, a newly hired cash truck security guard who possesses impressive skills as a marksman and uses his expertise to thwart a robbery despite harboring dark ulterior motives.
Ritchie & Statham’s Dazzling Gamble
Wrath of Manwas released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic after it was previously delayed as a result of the global outbreak, with the studio taking a risk that recently vaccinated moviegoers would be willing to physically go to theaters to watch the thriller.
The gamble paid off in spades as the film topped the box office on its opening weekend and grossed $8.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, going on to amass a total of $104 million against its $40 million budget despite being released straight to streaming in the U.K. Thesuccess ofWrath of Manproved audiences were eager to return to theaters and yearned for electrifying entertainment.
