Parker

Summary

A new Mark Wahlberg thriller could launch theParkerfranchise that Jason Statham failed to plain off in 2013 . Wahlberg used to star in a fairly reliable output of R - place military action pic and thrillers , but in recent years , he ’s dial back and focused on dramas and comedies likeFather StuorThe Family Plan . This has been a welcome change of rate for the star because while his activity turnout was fun , by the time he starred in picture likeMile 22 , they began to feel a shade samey .

Wahlberg is set to find his onscreen mean value stripe again with the extroverted thrillerPlay Dirty . This is alsothe next movie from director Shane Black(The Nice Guys ) , with Wahlberg play the anti - hero thief Parker from the novels by Donald E. Westlake ( AKA Richard Stark ) . In the raw picture show ( viaTHR),Wahlberg ’s Parker teams with LaKeith Stanfield ’s role player / con artist Grofield as they plan a holdup that pits them against the rout , a authoritarian and the world ’s richest man .

Mark Wahlberg is teaming with Shane Black to adapt an iconic script character , which could give up off the dealership that Jason Statham failed to .

parker poster

Mark Wahlberg’s Play Dirty Could Launch The Series Jason Statham’s Parker Failed To

Many actors have taken a crack at Parker

The novel have a loyal pursuit , withParker being an immoral anti - herowho is also strangely likable . fan of Parker will have it away there have been many premature adaptations of the Book , with the considerably known beingPoint Blankstarring Lee Marvin and 1999’sPaybackwith Mel Gibson . The latter two both adaptedThe Hunter , which was Parker ’s mean and thin playscript entry . Play Dirtyisn’t adapting any particularParkernovel , with Black ’s story pulling factor from dissimilar books .

Robert Downey Jr was originally place to play Parker inPlay Dirtybut by and by dropped out .

While Westlake was subject to manufacturer accommodate his work , he refused to let them expend the name Parker unless they committed to adaptingallthe book . This is why inPayback , for example , the character was rename Porter . The first adjustment to actually use the name was Jason Statham ’s aptly titledParker , which pull out from the novelFlashfire . uncalled-for to say , Statham ’s Parker gets betrayed during a job and plan revenge against his former bunch . Parkergrossed over a tepid $ 46 million worldwide ( viaBox Office Mojo ) , andfailed to launch a plannedParker 2 .

Jason Statham as Parker in Parker (2013) and Mark Wahlberg as Evan McCauley from Infinite (2020)

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

Why Jason Statham’s Parker Didn’t Work

Parker fails to stand out in Statham’s filmography

Parkerwas part of several Statham pic from this era that had lagger terminate with him pointing a gun and saying a one - liner , such asSafe . TheJason Station action moviesfrom this period pop to confuse together after a while , and the truth is , Parkeris one of the player ’s least interesting projects . alfresco of a great support turn by Jennifer Lopez , Parkerwas far too generic , and it did n’t even have memorable natural process succession to pay . The film also made the wrongdoing of sanding the harsher edges off the title character .

passably much every version has struggled with this since a direct transformation of the Parker found in Westlake ’s author cloth would be offputting to most viewers . Parker is an anti - Heron who sincerely only care for himself , and is willing to use citizenry or kill for his own gains . Statham’sParkersoftened these element to make for a more appealing hero- which only served to make him less interesting .

Flashfirewas a dull pick to kvetch off a potentialParkermovie series , but it seemsPlay Dirtywill avoid the same mistakes .

Staff Sergeant Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) prepares to shoot someone offscreen in the ending of The Departed.

Parkeralso adaptedFlashfire , which is n’t one of the good novel in Westlake ’s series . It ’s a fairly gratifying , pulpy read , but slight about it stands out . Compared to volume likeSlayground- which could be described asDie Hardin an desert amusement common - that mixed up the standardParkerformula , Flashfireis too straightforward . In short , Flashfirewas a ho-hum selection to quetch off a potentialParkermovie serial , but it seemsPlay Dirtywill avoid the same fault .

Play Dirty Could Be The First Parker Adaptation To Earn A Sequel

Westlake’s dream of a Parker franchise could finally come true

Every Parker Movie Adaptation

Book Adapted

Lead Actor

Parker

Made in USA(1966 )

The Jugger(1965 )

Anna Karina as Paula Nelson

Point Blank(1967 )

The Hunter(1962 )

Lee Marvin as Walker

Pillaged(1967 )

The Score(1964 )

Michel Constantin as Georges

The Split(1968 )

The Seventh(1966 )

Jim Brown as McClain

The Outfit(1973 )

The Outfit(1963 )

Robert Duvall as Earl Macklin

Slayground(1983 )

Slayground(1971 )

Peter Coyote as Stone

Payback(1999 )

Mel Gibson as Porter

Parker(2013 )

Flashfire(2000 )

Jason Statham as Parker

Of the manyParkeradaptations in existence , none have earned a direct continuation , butPlay Dirtycould at last change that . Again , the movie is n’t pull up from any one rule book but appear to be cherry - pick the adept chemical element from the series . The odds of Wahlberg adapting every singleParkernovel as the writer wished are slender , but it could be the first adaption that guide to a adopt - up .

Parkeris presently uncommitted to stream on DirecTV .

Black is a self - confessed fan of pulp criminal offense fiction from the ' LX and ' 70s - as can be look inKiss Kiss Bang Bang- and is the best person to superintend a potentialParkermovie franchise . WhenPlay Dirtywas announced ( viaDeadline ) the architectural plan was to make a series of moving picture and shows around the character reference for Amazon , so assume the first entry perform well , more should take after .

Source : Box Office Mojo , Deadline

Based on the fresh series by Donald E. Westlake , the legal action - pack Parker pursue a professional stealer who search retaliation against his former crew after they cheat him during a heist . Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez star in the 2013 film , with Michael Chiklis and Bobby Cannavale in supporting office .