One of the best action movies of recent years is on TV tonight

The hit 2024 film will be getting a sequel very soon.

Directed by David Ayer (End of Watch, Fury), the film sees Statham play Adam Clay, a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organisation, whose agents are known as 'Beekeepers'.

Now retired and trying to live a quiet life as a literal beekeeper, he nevertheless winds up embarking on a brutal quest for revenge. This is after his kind-hearted landlady (Phylicia Rashad, Creed) falls victim to a phishing scam.

It turns out, however, that Adam's campaign of vengeance has unexpected "national stakes".

Co-starring Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons (Dead Ringers), as well as Josh Hutcherson (Five Nights at Freddy's) and Minnie Driver (Run Away), The Beekeeper was both a hit at the box office and an unexpected hit with critics.

Reviewers praised the movie for Statham's trademark action prowess and charisma, as well as the film's humour, timely themes and increasingly over-the-top story.

A sequel was quickly ordered, which is set for release next January.

Statham and Irons will reprise their roles in the follow-up, with Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes For Us, Nobody 2) stepping into the director's chair.

Last year, JOE caught up with Tjahjanto ahead of the release of Nobody 2. During that interview, we asked the director what it was that drew him to The Beekeeper universe.

In response, he told us: "I watched [the first movie], and I just thought: 'Holy crap, this film is kind of batshit. It's kind of out of control.'

"I love that chaotic sort of like: 'Hey, there's no line that we don't cross here. It's just going to these ridiculous places.'"

Most of all, though, Tjahjanto liked that even amongst all of The Beekeeper's craziness, it still allowed Statham's action hero to be vulnerable.

Comparing this quality to Nobody 2, he added: "What I like about Nobody 2 is we allow the character [played by Odenkirk] to be vulnerable, and when I watch the first film, The Beekeeper, I was so taken by one line that Jason said."

That line was: "Being old can be a lonely thing."

Quoting the line, Tjahjanto explained: "His character said that and I was like: 'Alright, this is special,' because rarely do you see Statham being in a vulnerable state."

The director also told us: "When I spoke to [Statham], I said: 'Jason, one of my favourite films of yours is Hummingbird [Steven Knight's underseen 2013 crime drama featuring a more dramatic turn from Statham].'

"And he was like: 'Oh, that's interesting. Why is it?' and I was just like: 'Because you were so freaking vulnerable there, in that film,' and he just laughed."

The first Beekeeper is airing on TV tonight on Sky Max at 9pm. It's also available to stream on the service NOW.

For JOE's list of the other movies on TV tonight, click here.

Turn your home into a cinema with this projector 

Do you love movies? Have you ever dreamt of turning your home into your own cinema?

If so, then you may be interested in a home theatre projector we spotted on sale on Amazon with “impressive quality”.

The 4K projector has the likes of YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video built-in, so you can access thousands of films and shows without an additional TV stick, and you can also connect it to Bluetooth on your phone and laptop.

It’s currently priced from €36.99 on the Amazon website.

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