Jason Statham and David Ayer's Next Action Film: "John Doe" Set for 2026 Release
Sarah Oconnor
Published May 16, 2026
By Published Apr 27, 2026, 8:55 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2026. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2026, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, , Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on . He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
and David Ayer are officially reuniting for a third action movie.
The actor and director will be working together again in a new movie produced by Miramax, that's already giving off major John Wick vibes. are a staple of his career. In 2026 alone, he's starring in two movies from his staple genre: the already-released Shelter and the upcoming Mutiny, coming out in August of this year. One recent collaborator has been Ayer, who directed and 2026's A Working Man, both with Statham in the lead role.
Now, according to , Statham will star in a new action movie, John Doe, directed by Ayer from a script written by Zak Penn. Statham is set to play a nameless protagonist who, according to a synopsis of the movie, has no memory of who he is. However, there is "only one face he can’t forget: Eliza." The more he learns, the more he discovers he's part of an in-progress, covert mission, which now has the people who sent him on it coming after him. Fittingly, the description refers to Statham's character as "John."
As fragments of his identity return, he discovers he was trained for a mission still in motion and is being hunted by the very people who sent him. With enemies closing in, John must choose between finishing what he started… or protecting the one thing that makes him feel human: love.
John Doe will be produced and financed by Miramax, alongside, Statham, who produces via his production company Punch Palace Productions, Penn, and Paul Schiff. Black Bear, which previously , will be shopping the movie around during the Cannes market, where it's expected to draw plenty of attention due to how well a name Statham has been for both it and Miramax. As of writing, production is anticipated to start in September 2026, which means it won't be long until more concrete information about the film gets revealed.
Both of Statham's previous ventures with Ayer have been financial success stories. The Beekeeper became an instant hit in theaters following its January 2026 release, earning a strong $162.6 million against a $40 million budget. The film's success led to a sequel being greenlit, in theaters on January 15, 2027. Although A Working Man wasn't as big a hit by comparison, the movie still managed to make a modest $98 million at the box office against a $40 million budget.
John Doe adds one more movie to the list of upcoming films Statham will star in. As of writing, he's currently filming and producing Viva La Madness, an action thriller directed by Guy Ritchie. It's also a major new release for Ayer, whose next movie is set to be , an action adventure film for Paramount Pictures starring Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons. The two have already proven themselves to be a dynamic box office powerhouse duo, which makes the upcoming action movie all the more compelling.
With the movie slated to go into production later this year, more information about John Doe seems inevitable in the months to come. Statham and Ayer being such a perfect dream team for successful action films in recent years only serves to make the film's arrival all the more exciting. It, too, has a shot at being a strong box office performer, especially if the Bourne-like premise lives up to the hype.
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