Mutiny starring Jason Statham adds a female lead from Peaky Blinders to the cast. Directed by Jean-François Richet, who directed 2023's Plane, Mutiny stars Statham as Cole Reed, a man who finds himself on the run and uncovering a global conspiracy after being set up for the murder of his billionaire boss. Statham produces the action thriller film through his new production company, Punch Palace Productions, with Marc Butan also producing through MadRiver Pictures. The Mutiny script hails from Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis, the latter of whom also wrote Plane.

Deadline now reports that Annabelle Wallis, who memorably played Grace Shelby on Peaky Blinders, has ed Statham in Mutiny. It's not yet clear who Wallis will be playing in the film and no additional casting has been announced. Filming on Mutiny is set to get underway in the UK this fall, with no release date for the film having been set just yet. If filming wraps before the end of this year, audiences can expect Mutiny to potentially hit theaters at some point in 2025.

What Annabelle Wallis' Casting Means For Mutiny

The Jason Statham Film Has A Strong Set Of Leads

Though Wallis will be best known to many for her role in Peaky Blinders, she has also starred in a number of feature films that make her an exciting addition to Mutiny. Wallis memorably played the lead in 2021's Malignant from prolific horror director James Wan, with that film earning positive reviews. The actor also had roles in films like Tag (2018), Annabelle: Creation (2017), The Mummy (2017), and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017).

A Peaky Blinders movie is currently in the works at Netflix from original creator Steven Knight, but it's unlikely Wallis will be involved given her character's fate in season 5.

Statham has been a reliable lead in the action genre for decades now, and has successfully anchored films like The Transporter (2002), The Meg (2018), and The Beekeeper (2024). Hailing from director David Ayer, The Beekeeper reviews were some of the most positive reviews Statham has had in years, earning the film a respectable 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was also the first major box office success of the year, though its total gross of $153 million does pale in comparison to many of the bigger blockbusters that have been released since.

Key Background

• Annabelle Wallis' first movie was True True Lie (2006) at the age of 21.
• She played Grace in 19 episodes of Peaky Blinders.

Director Jean-François Richet's Previous Work Is A Good Sign For Mutiny ​​​​​​

Plane Is A Solid Gerard Butler Action Movie

Richet has worked both in the world of French cinema and in Hollywood since the early 2000s, directing films like Assault on Precinct 13 (2005), which starred Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne, and Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008). In more recent years, he's directed films like Blood Father (2016) starring Mel Gibson and The Emperor of Paris (2018). While the characters, settings, and tones may be different across the movies in his filmography, Richet has primarily been a director that makes movies with a big focus on hard-hitting action.

Plane is the strong culmination of all of Richet's efforts in the action genre thus far, and it stands out as one of star Gerard Butler's better action thrillers in recent years. The movie currently sports a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive 94% audience score. Statham and Butler have similar career trajectories in many ways as anchors of mid-budget action thrillers, and Mutiny is shaping up to repeat the success of Plane, with Statham, like Butler, used effectively as an action lead.

Our Take On Mutiny

The Jason Statham Movie Has The Potential To Be A Win

Many details have yet to emerge about Mutiny, but thus far the film sounds like it will be similar to many of the other mid-budget action thrillers Statham has made over the course of his career, which includes titles like Killer Elite (2011), Safe (2012), Parker (2013), Homefront (2013), and Wrath of Man (2021). One potential difference here, however, is that it's not clear what Reed's background is in Mutiny and whether he will be playing a character with a past as a black ops soldier, spy, or assassin, as is so often the case in these types of films.

Considering the logline teases that Reed will be uncovering a global conspiracy, this could suggest that he has some kind of government or military background. Giving Reed a history as a soldier or a fighter would also make sense given that most Statham characters are proficient fighters. While the film may not be a particularly surprising choice for the actor, it does have the ingredients to be a fun ride, especially considering the solid quality of Plane.

If Mutiny is to set itself apart from other mid-budget action thrillers, however, it will have to offer more than just strong action sequences. Though there's certainly value in turn-your-brain-off action fun, compelling characters and deeper themes will be key to giving the film longevity, taking it beyond disposable entertainment. Considering many Statham thrillers don't offer this, Mutiny could well be following this same trend. Nevertheless, with Richet, Wallis, and Statham all having successful recent projects under their belts, Mutiny is still set up for success.

Source: Deadline