Parker should be Jason Statham’s very own James Bond-like franchise, evidenced by the 2013 film’s massive popularity on Netflix. The action thriller received mixed reviews from critics and general audiences upon its initial release, presumably because it didn’t take any big risks with its storyline or focal antihero. Years later, however, Parker’s streaming success implies a sequel should not only be made but could also jumpstart a film series. Fortunately, there’s plenty of source material to adapt.
Based on Donald E. Westlake’s 2000 novel Flashfire, Parker follows a professional thief who seeks revenge after a heist gone wrong. The character’s stoic demeanor may remind audiences of hitman Jef Costello (Alain Delon) from 1967 crime classic Le Samouraï, while Parker’s morally-righteous code of conduct thematically aligns with Omar Little from The Wire. The 2013 adaptation features a supporting performance from Jennifer Lopez as the title character’s accomplice Leslie Cienfuegos Rodgers, but the film mostly focuses on Parker’s core traits, along with his ability to assume different personalities like a priest or a wealthy cowboy. If Parker’s storyline feels a bit light, that’s probably because screenwriter John J. McLaughlin anticipated a sequel would allow for more character development.
Between 1962 and 2008, Westlake wrote 24 Parker novels under the pen name Richard Stark. The original franchise-starter, The Hunter was published in 1962 and was later adapted into Point Blank (1967) starring Lee Marvin and Payback (1999) with Mel Gibson. Parker is actually based on the 19th novel, Flashfire, so a sequel featuring Statham wouldn’t necessarily have to follow the books’ chronological timeline. Parker’s love interest, Claire, first appeared in 1968 novel The Rare Coin Score, so that may be an ideal place to start for a potential Parker 2. In the 2013 movie, Australian model Emma Booth portrays the title character’s girlfriend, but she’s mostly a background character who exists to explain why he doesn’t pursue a romance with real estate agent Leslie.
At 53 years old, Statham could easily star in a long-running franchise over fifteen years, much like Daniel Craig’s James Bond. In Parker, he captures the thief’s ageless quality and convincingly portrays him as a borderline psychopath whose moral code creates a sense of balance amongst the chaos. Now that the Bond franchise is moving in a new direction, a Parker series could be a solid alternative for Statham, who – according to a 2018 report (via Esquire) – hasn’t been approached to portray 007. Based on the collective reviews for Parker, critics were generally impressed with the performances by both Statham and Lopez, so there’s massive potential for a follow-up with the right screenwriter.
Given that Parker is an extremely violent individual, a screenwriter like Taylor Sheridan (Wind River) would be the ideal candidate to develop a sequel. Netflix audiences clearly enjoy the on-screen chemistry between Statham and Lopez, so their on-going partnership could anchor Parker 2. The original 2013 Parker mostly takes place in Florida, which allows for a tight narrative but also minimizes the suspense. In the novel, Parker robs a football stadium, an Air Force base, an island casino, and even an actual town. In the future, Parker 2 could potentially be a huge Netflix Original if the filmmakers expand the narrative or reunite Statham with Lopez.
