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Here's your Statham replacement in The Transporter cable series

May. 20, 2011by: Dave Davis

THE TRANSPORTER franchise is getting scaled down to television-size when reticent wheelman Frank Martin bring his driving abilities and face-kicking skills to cable network Cinemax for an original series.

Jason Statham is obviously too busy cranking out a new action flick every couple of months, so slipping behind the dashboard to replace him is British actor Chris Vance.

TV watchers will recognize Vance from "Burn Notice", "Prison Break" and the most recent season of Showtime's "Dexter", in which he played the security chief to villain Jonny Lee Miller. I'm not sure if Vance knows any martial arts, but it's safe to assume he will by the time the show begins filming.

Vance will be joined in the series by reasonably sexy Hungarian hottie Andrea Osvart (below), who will play "Frank's handler Carla, an extremely crafty former CIA operative who organizes his missions, acts as his eyes and ears on the outside, and continually stokes the flames of their unrequited attraction."

The 12-episode TRANSPORTER series from writer/director/producer Luc Besson is budgeted at $4 million per episode, and (if it's anything like the movies) will follow the scruffy taciturn driver as he performs physics-defying vehicular maneuvers and strips shirtless to fight henchmen while coated in some type of fluid.

Extra Tidbit: Wonder if he'll crop his hair close for more of a Statham-like skull?
Source: Deadline
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7:37AM on 05/23/2011
The world of entertainment has really run out of ideas. Luc Besson is good, but for tv really?
The world of entertainment has really run out of ideas. Luc Besson is good, but for tv really?
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11:01PM on 05/22/2011
So many bad TV adaptations of good movies that it's hard not to be negative but since Luc Besson is behind it , who knows ?
So many bad TV adaptations of good movies that it's hard not to be negative but since Luc Besson is behind it , who knows ?
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7:17PM on 05/22/2011

Sounds like Peanut Butter & Jelly

"...bringing his driving abilities and face-kicking skills to cable network Cinemax."

So...can we expect corny, but blunt dialogue, 300-style speed ramping kung-fu fight scenes & (hopefully) some soft-core porn before the credits roll each episode?

If the answer to ALL of those is YES...then I. AM. THERE!
"...bringing his driving abilities and face-kicking skills to cable network Cinemax."

So...can we expect corny, but blunt dialogue, 300-style speed ramping kung-fu fight scenes & (hopefully) some soft-core porn before the credits roll each episode?

If the answer to ALL of those is YES...then I. AM. THERE!
Your Reply:



-2
10:29AM on 05/22/2011
hah! she's a great color...wtf!!!
hah! she's a great color...wtf!!!
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12:33AM on 05/21/2011
If you are born in Eastern Europe, just admit that you won't have dark skin. That chick looks like a fucking Oompa Loompa.
If you are born in Eastern Europe, just admit that you won't have dark skin. That chick looks like a fucking Oompa Loompa.
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12:23AM on 05/21/2011
The concept of the Transporter franchise is arguably ideally suited for television. The most endearing thing about the first movie was Martin's 'rules', meticulous attention to detail, and exploration of his routine (classic Luc Besson tropes)...all things that you could delve deeper into with a series.

I'd sooner watch this than 'Human Target.'
The concept of the Transporter franchise is arguably ideally suited for television. The most endearing thing about the first movie was Martin's 'rules', meticulous attention to detail, and exploration of his routine (classic Luc Besson tropes)...all things that you could delve deeper into with a series.

I'd sooner watch this than 'Human Target.'
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11:05AM on 05/21/2011
Yeah, I definitely think this could work better. I always thought they could explore his meticulous nature more, but the sequels didn't really do much with his "rules" other than him having to break them within 10 minutes of the movie starting.
Yeah, I definitely think this could work better. I always thought they could explore his meticulous nature more, but the sequels didn't really do much with his "rules" other than him having to break them within 10 minutes of the movie starting.
12:14AM on 05/21/2011
My original reaction was to scoff at the idea of making this into a TV show, but then again Highlander lasted for 6 years as a TV show, so who knows.
My original reaction was to scoff at the idea of making this into a TV show, but then again Highlander lasted for 6 years as a TV show, so who knows.
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