When it comes to action stars in the 21st century, few are as prolific and reliable as Jason Statham. A man of many talents, the former French Connection model has appeared in countless action films and been part of several notable franchises. Next January, a month now becoming synonymous with the British badass, Statham will return to the role of Adam Clay in The Beekeeper 2, following up on the hugely successful, adrenaline-fueled 2024 actioner The Beekeeper.

Now under director Timo Tjahjanto instead of David Ayer, Statham‘s sequel to The Beekeeper is one that fans demanded as soon as the original had debuted. But it is far from the actor’s only action film that millions would love to see return. Another that has long been the subject of whispered rumors is Crank, the 2006 action thriller that marked the directorial debuts of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Followed in 2009 by Crank: High Voltage, the early 2010s were rife with rumors of a third movie in the franchise, hoping that Statham and co-star Amy Smart would return.

Alas, a third Crank of the wheel has yet to materialize, much to the dismay of the many modern admirers of this action cult classic. Thankfully, it is currently streaming for free. But could we see a Crank threequel sometime in the future? Well, as much as Smart would love to join Statham for more violent chaos, it seems unlikely, according to the actor herself. In a conversation with Collider‘s Maggie Lovitt at the recent Indiana Comic Convention, Smart said when asked about the rumors of Crank 3: “I remember hearing that too, and then it kind of died. I didn’t hear anything more.” She added:

“That was wild, such a wild film. I love where Eve goes in the sequel; she’s like stripping now, with a heart of gold. It was fun. Jason’s so professional, he’s such a badass, and he’s so nice. He was always looking out for me and making sure I was comfortable doing my stunts, too.”

Was ‘Crank’ a Box Office Hit?

Crank received fairly positive reviews from critics at the time of its release, but could it prove popular enough with audiences to return financial success? The answer is yes, although not with much fanfare, as the movie only returned $44 million at the global box office, split between a domestic haul of $28 million and a further $16 million from overseas markets. How was it a success? The film reportedly had a $12 million production budget, which was nearly doubled for the sequel, which fared much worse in theaters.

via Collider