The Transporter is one of Jason Statham’s most iconic film franchises, which is why it was so surprising when the actor didn’t return for the fourth movie in the series, The Transporter Refueled. The Hollywood star had made a name for himself across several different action franchises, and he’d seemingly found his niche with The Transporter. Most of his other projects were very similar, and the franchise had mostly been a success for him, but there were certain external factors that prevented him from returning.

The Transporter series follows an ex-soldier who’s taken up a cloak-and-dagger career of privately transporting goods for important clients - but things quickly turn dangerous when he’s tasked with transporting a woman whose life is in immediate danger. It was the intense storytelling and high-stakes set pieces that made the first Transporter movie such a success, and while the sequels were mostly hit-or-miss, the franchise certainly wasn’t struggling commercially. The movies featured some of the best scenes of Jason Statham’s career, but ultimately, the fourth movie wasn’t a viable option for the actor.

Jason Statham Didn’t Want To Sign On For A New Trilogy Without A Script

The Producers' Demands Were Too High For Statham

Statham revealed to Vulture in 2015 that he was approached with an idea for a fourth Transporter movie, but it would have required him to sign on for an entire trilogy without seeing a script first. The actor “couldn’t see the value in that” and refused to return to the franchise, aware that it would have been a large commitment without any guarantee that the result would be any good. He also revealed that he was offered “less money to do three than I’d get for one”, which he didn’t consider a good business decision.

The Transporter 4 Happened Without Statham (But Its Sequels Never Did)

The Proposed Trilogy Never Happened

Although Statham ed on the project, the project still happened without the lead actor at the helm. The Transporter Refueled ended up being more of a soft reboot than a sequel, with Ed Skrein as the protagonist in a very similar narrative. However, Skrein clearly wasn’t asked to sign on for three movies, as the potential trilogy that was reportedly proposed to Statham never came to . The franchise ended with The Transporter Refueled, and the actor hasn’t expressed any desire to return - but director Louis Leterrier has spoken openly about wanting to work with Statham again.

The Transporter Franchise Letting Jason Statham Go Was A Massive Mistake

Statham's Absence Ultimately Killed The Series

Ultimately, letting Jason Statham walk away from the franchise was the biggest mistake that The Transporter series could have made. He was the glue that held those films together despite their messy scripts and predictable stories, and it simply couldn’t have worked without him. It was his charm and charisma that made the character so interesting, and while Ed Skrein is a great actor in his own right, it was impossible to fill the shoes that Statham had left behind. He was a crucial part of the Transporter franchise, which is likely why those extra two sequels never went ahead.