Many fans would agree that it is a no-brainer for The Beekeeper 2 to be greenlit following the success of the first film in early 2024.
The Beekeeper follows Jason Statham's Adam Clay as a former human intelligence operative who goes out of retirement to seek revenge for the death of his friend, brutally eliminating the leaders of a widespread phishing scam in the United States.
The Beekeeper premiered in theaters on January 12 and earned $152.7 million at the worldwide box office against a budget of $40 million or less.
4 Confirmed Details About The Beekeeper 2
The Beekeeper 2 Hasn't Been Officially Announced, But It's Reported to Be Happening
Despite a report stating that a sequel is already confirmed, there has been no official word that The Beekeeper 2 is happening.
In an interview with Inverse in January 2024, The Beekeeper director David Ayer expressed interest in returning for a sequel, noting that he would "love to learn more" about the Beekeeper's mythology and "there's so much room to explore:"
"We cracked the door a little bit into the 'Beekeeper' world, and I would love to learn more about them. I’m extremely curious: Where do they come from? Who are they? How do they operate? What happened in the system? Did it break? Did the Beekeepers break? Do we have to fix the Beekeepers? Who fixes the Beekeepers when the Beekeepers need fixing? It’s just an amazing mythology. There’s so much room to explore."
Given The Beekeeper's box office success and strong reviews from fans and critics (it earned 71% from critics and 92% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes), there is a high chance that a sequel will be made.
The Beekeeper is similar to other Amazon Prime Video hits like Reacher Season 3 which recently received an exciting story update ahead of its release next year.
The Beekeeper Sequel Reportedly Won't Be Shot in London
After the first movie was shot in London, The Cinemaholic reported that filming for The Beekeeper 2 is set to start in February in Los Angeles. Jason Statham is also expected to reunite with director David Ayer for the film.
While the sequel has not been given a release date, the news about its filming could shed some light on when it will be released.
In 2022, The Beekeeper began principal photography in September before wrapping in December. The movie then released on January 12, 2024.
Assuming that the sequel follows a similar production timeline, there is a chance that The Beekeeper 2 will be released in early to mid-2026.
Only 1 Cast Member Has Been Reported So Far
Jason Statham is the lone cast member who is expected to return in The Beekeeper 2.
The Beekeeper ended with the death of Josh Hutcherson's Derek Danforth after Adam killed him when he tried to shoot his mother (aka the President of the United States).
Those who are still alive at the end may appear in the sequel, such as FBI agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman) and U.S. President Jessica Danforth (Jemma Redgrave).
In another interview with Variety in January 2024, The Beekeeper director David Ayer reiterated that he "really, really, really wants to make a sequel" before admitting that he wants to "know more" and explore Adam Clay's story:
"We really, really, really want to make a sequel. We had a lot of fun. It’s a great world. We saw this crack in the door into the 'Beekeeper' world. Everybody wants to know more. I want to know more, Jason wants to know more. And Adam Clay is such a great character. There are so many threads to unpack of what happened and why it happened. So I think it lends itself to be a great, fun franchise."
The Sequel Will Explore More Beekeeper Lore
To recap, The Beekeeper is an elite intelligence program that operates outside of government oversight.
The operatives are tasked with protecting the hive (aka the United States and basically the world) similar to how beekeepers maintain bee colonies.
The program is in the same vein as the elite group of undercover women being led by Zoe Saldana's Joe in Lioness on Paramount+ (a show that recently received an exciting Season 3 update following an incredible second season).
The first movie only touched the surface of this undercover program, and more of it is expected to be fleshed out in a sequel.
Ayer told Yahoo in January that his fascination with the mythology of the beekeepers is what drives his interest in a sequel, pointing out that they only "cracked the door a little bit:"
"I'm fascinated by the mythology of the beekeepers. We've cracked the door a little bit and seen what they can do. Now I want to know: who are they, where did they come from, and where are they going? And where did Jason come from in all this? There's so much more to explore and it's another opportunity to work with Jason."
Ayer also assured fans that "there will be some more Beekeeper and some more bee puns coming," but he is still preparing for his next venture with Statham as they work on a film called Levon's Trade:
"There will be some more Beekeeper and some more bee puns coming. We're gonna team up with Jason again and work on a film called Levon's Trade. So I'm not going home. I'm going back to set and back to work here in the UK."
In the first film, another Beekeeper operative tried to take out Adam Clay, but she amazingly failed. It's possible that more Beekeepers played by A-list actors could come face-to-face with Adam when he returns in The Beekeeper 2.
The Beekeeper is available to stream on Prime Video.
