For years now,Jason Stathamhas been churning out banger after banger, delivering his brand of justice in a plethora ofactionmovies that have seen him battle everything from megalodons to Russian traffickers. He’s undoubtedly one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, but back in the mid-2000s, he was still an up-and-coming action star thanks to films likeSnatch,The Transporter, andThe Italian Job. In 2006, he starred in a high-concept thriller that has gone on to become a favorite of many, and now, that film and its 2009 sequel are making their return to streaming for fans to enjoy once more.
Taking in a little over $77 million at the box office combined, the first moviestarred Statham as Chev Chelios, a British assassin who is poisoned by a synthetic drug and must keep his adrenaline flowing constantly to keep himself alive. In the sequel, Chelios' heart is harvested by Chinese doctors and replaced with an artificial one that will only last an hour, meaning he must keep himself electrically charged as he races to find a new one. They’re completely absurd premises, we know, but boy, are they fun.
If you haven’t guessed by now, we’re talking aboutCrankandCrank: High Voltage, which were both written and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. The first movie hit theaters on Sept. 1, 2006, and managed to take in $42.9 million during its run. The second made its premiere on Jun 01, 2025, and did slightly less at the box office, earning a respectable $34.6 million. After having been unavailable on streaming for a minute, both are making their triumphant return to Tubi at the beginning of September.
The ‘Crank’ Franchise Has Divided Fans and Critics
There’s no denying that back in 2006,Crankwas a heck of a fun ride. It was nothing but a high-octane, non-stop rush for 87 minutes that never gave the audience a chance to catch its breath.Crank: High Voltagein 2009 was even crazier, inserting hallucination sequences and throwing logic out the window to deliver an energetic, self-aware sequel that didn’t pretend to be anything it wasn’t. Neveldine and Taylor knew exactly what they were doing, and the results were spectacular.
All that being said, theCrankfranchise hasn’t exactly endeared itself to fans and critics. It’s managed to be quite divisive over the years, with the first movie earning a 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from pundits who called it “ridiculous”, and a 71% score from fans.High Voltageproved to be just the opposite, with critics giving it a 64% rating, and the audience a 49%. It seems no one can agree on the meritsof the Statham-led action thrillers, but that’s okay. Not everyone has to like everything.
For those that do champion their over-the-top nature and enjoy watching films that feature lots of violence, dark humor, and surreal camera angles, bothCrankandCrank: High Voltagewill be making their way back to streaming when they hit Tubi on Sept. 1, 2025.
