Jason Statham’s cult classic action heist thriller is getting a remake

If there's one thing you can count on in this business, it's Jason Statham barely taking a breather between action flicks. Ever since he barged onto the scene in 1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, he's kept up a steady pace: driving, punching, running, and occasionally, just for fun, playing the villain. But here’s a curveball—one of his earlier and actually lighter ensemble films, The Italian Job from 2003, is apparently being eyed for a new legacy sequel. Yeah, genuinely didn’t see that one coming.

The Italian Job opened 23 years ago and is set for a follow-up with Paul Feig currently being eyed to direct.

Wait, They're Doing Another?

Word is, Paramount Pictures is in early chats about reviving The Italian Job—yes, the glossy heist job with Mini Coopers, not Michael Caine’s original 1969 classic (though of course, the 2003 film was riffing on that one anyway). The reboot starred Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, and, of course, Statham as Handsome Rob, the wheelman with a taste for fast cars and the odd cheeky line. It pulled in a hefty $176 million global box office back in the day, so not that surprising the studio wants another crack now everyone’s doing sequels to anything that ever sold popcorn.

Here's the surprising bit: the front-runner to direct this possible sequel is Paul Feig. Not exactly a name most would stick next to heist movies—more often associated with the likes of Bridesmaids or his twistier mystery stuff like A Simple Favor. Most recently, Feig directed The Housemaid (starring Sydney Sweeney, absolutely everywhere this decade), which quietly amassed a mammoth $400 million worldwide. Lionsgate are so pleased, they're spinning that off as well.

Cast, Crew, and Schrödinger’s Statham

Here’s where things are a bit murky: Deadline didn’t have much to say about the script or the cast—no confirmation on whether Wahlberg, Theron, or Statham himself will actually be gracing the MINIs once more. And at this stage, absolutely no official comment from Paramount. If Feig does sign on, it'll be his first time wrangling an all-out heist picture. Given his knack for clever twists and rug-pulls, expect something a bit more intricate than your average smash-and-grab, if he gets the gig.

To jog your memory, the 2003 Italian Job is now—brace yourself—23 years old. Statham’s Handsome Rob was the smooth getaway man and the comic heart of a cast otherwise brimming with angsty Americans—one of his breezier parts before he locked into low-grumble action mode. Factor in Hollywood’s obsession with legacy sequels and it’s almost surprising it took this long.

• The Italian Job (2003): grossed $176 million worldwide
• Paul Feig: helmed The Housemaid (with Sydney Sweeney), made $400 million worldwide
• Paramount hasn't confirmed any returning cast
• Jason Statham played Handsome Rob—getaway driver, expert boat handler
• The original 1969 UK Italian Job starred Michael Caine

If you’re wondering why Feig’s name is in the mix, it might be that he has a habit of keeping audiences guessing with sharp, layered mysteries—plus a bit of levity, which didn’t hurt the original. That said, he’s never gone full 'heist thriller' before. Whether this all comes together with the old crew or goes a different direction entirely, Paramount is keeping their cards close for now.