The latest entry in the Transporter chronology, was Transporter 3, which didn't perform well at the box-office, and wasn't critically well-received either. Luc Besson, the creator of the series, has given up since then to write yet another script involving the same character. Instead, he decided to focus on a new franchise called Taken, unsurprisingly using the same brand of cars such as BMWs or Audi cars, Beretta 92F pistols among many things. Meanwhile, another crew acquired the screen rights temporarily to make a TV Series based on Transporter and its main character, Frank Martin. Besson didn't interfere with its development, but took the credit for creating the series along with Kamen. The series picks up where it was left-off with the movies canon, with only one recurring character showing up, who's none other than Francois Berleand in the role of Inspector Tarconi, one of Martin's cop buddies. This time, Frank Martin is played by Chris Vance, who appears to have suited into the role somehow, but still didn't manage to outshine Jason Statham by far!
The transition between the two incarnations of the character.
Now, the TV Series wasn't appreciated by the fans of the films, either. They weren't pleased with Vance's portrayal, but I still accepted it the way it was. As long as the character is an alpha male, then it's spot on! Similar thing happened to Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth in Beware The Batman computer-animated series when the character was portrayed as more-than-just-butler retired MI6 agent. Well, some people just don't know how to appreciate decent products, these days. Take Sylvester Stallone's action flicks, for instance. I personally am not able to understand their hatred over exaggerated actioners, it's what boys and men loved until a decade ago. Still, Jason Statham is an appreciated action star, which is good.
Now, if Statham does not return, we are going to have a brand new actor in the leading role, save it for Chris Vance, as he won't be starring in a Transporter movie. But, a renewed series with a second season would definitely recruit him back. As for the movie, it could be a total utter reboot without chaining any connection with Statham's own trilogy. If it ends up being a reboot, would the filmmakers keep the traditions in their respective places? Such as Frank Martin making the rules...or breaking them, and then driving a black Audi, with a James Bond themed accessories equipped within the car itself, or wearing the same black suit as always. Most probably, I'd say. But, here's another interesting point. The idea of making The Transporter in 2002 actually came from a miniseries sponsored by BMW, using cars from their own brands, which Frank Martin also used in the first film before switching to Audi in the second installment. The miniseries was known as The Hire, which starred Clive Owen as 'The Driver', without his real name being mentioned, getting hired by various people to be a sort of transport for their vital needs. This is the series that spawned Besson's franchise, as both the protagonists share the same profession, similar style of driving, and not to mention, being expert in hand-to-hand combat, and thus, they are extremely professional no matter what the cost of their situation would be during the assignment.
'The Hire', the miniseries that inspired 'The Transporter'.
Let's say, it would be really good to see a film adaptation of The Hire, or probably hire the same actor to play a different "transporter" if Statham isn't coming back. As for the storyline, we haven't been informed yet what the movie is going to be about. But, we know that it's going to have high-octane car chases, sensational fistfights, larger-than-life villains, over-the-top plots, and mindblowing MacGuffins. This is what Transporter was about. And to make them "realistic" (the word that Hollywood actually means "street incidents, low-life people's typical day stories, and sissy characters" by using it) isn't Besson's cup of tea, nor its the way of treating his own franchise. Of course, like James Bond (classic ones only, 1962-2004), the movie is going to have at least one irresistible lady. In the first one, the beautiful Shu Qi took the part as a good girl, but the second one had a bad girl instead, which was played by Kate Nauta. The third one had a mixture of both, but eventually a good girl, played by Natalya Rudakova, a Ukranian sensational girl herself. However, the TV Series had bunch of girls, but the leading female role was given to Andrea Osvart, who played a former CIA agent organizing Frank Martin's assignments, and besides, she's the man's love interest. Delphine Chaneac also takes a major part in the series, whose character is a French DCRI agent investigating 'The Transporter' network, and as a cover, she stands as a lovely neighbour of Martin's.
Recurring cast of characters from 'Transporter: The Series',
from left to right: Delphine Shaneac, Chris Vance, Andrea Osvart and Francois Berleand.
So, eventually, we are most certainly having Francois Berleand back to play the infamous Inspector Tarconi, chief of police station in Nice, France, who aids Frank Martin throughout the entire mission of his. But, other than that, nothing is really clear about the project that Besson is setting the outlines for. We only know that three films are going to be produced, either as sequels to both the films and the TV Series, or a reboot. But, then again, continuation stories would be a lot better these days, because rebooted stuff always disappoints the fans of the original series, and recruits other newbies who always seem to prefer the modern takes over the original, much like the case is with the James Bond films, now.
There might be very good imitators or spectacular successors to a certain material, but hadn't been Jason Statham playing the role, the series would have ended up settling down in the pages of history. However, my suggestion is, that Transporter 4 should have Frank Martin involved with the lines of extreme espionage, leading him to chase a super-villain intending to gain the role of world domination, or start a World War III threats spreading all over the international countries, using Weapons of Mass Destruction to take over the planet Earth by all himself. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol did the same thing, designing a throwback storyline occurred in the media marketing from the 1960's to the 1990's. Fans might complain about Frank not being a spy, and will want a reason to take the job of a secret agent, but let me remind you that in the 1960's, Roger Moore (who later became James Bond in 1973) played Simon Templar, a former thief and a public enemy turned into an adventurer, doing the good for the people, much of the episodes beginning with the second season of his show, The Saint, involved plots of superspy flicks, leading the newbies to think he's a secret agent himself, and that would be great to see in Transporter 4, even if it would happen once. One thing that people should prevent from happening is having a "character-driven" story written for the movie, which should never ever happen. These kind of films, action films, need comic book styled electrifying moments that people call "cartoony" these days. What's more exciting than having a superman-like character in the lead, instead of manic depressive victim? Both Luc Besson and Jason Statham wouldn't do a "character-driven" movie, but only over-the-top action films, which every true action movie loyalist expects.
Seeing that Transporter 4 really is happening, I personally hope Jason Statham would return to reprise his role as Frank Martin, sitting behind the wheels of a black Audi and chasing down the villains in unstoppable positions while delivering incredible performances along with cracking jokes and one liners. Are you excited?
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