Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone have teamed up once again for the action-packed film A Working Man, successfully sidestepping what could have been an undesirable box office record for both stars. Their cinematic partnership began back in 2010 with the launch of The Expendables, marking a fruitful collaboration that has seen them feature in numerous films together. However, A Working Man presents a unique twist as Stallone takes on the role of co-writer instead of co-star, signaling a fresh dimension to their working relationship.
Previously, Stallone had devoted time to adapting the book Levon’s Trade into a television series, which unfortunately did not materialize. Speculation about a brief cameo appearance from Stallone in A Working Man ultimately did not pan out, yet this film still represents the sixth time these two icons have collaborated in various capacities. They have experienced considerable success in the past, notably with the lucrative box office returns of the Expendables franchise. Fortunately, A Working Man has already surpassed significant box office milestones for both actors.
A Working Man Avoided Being Jason Statham & Sylvester Stallone’s Lowest Grossing Movie Collaboration
Strong Box Office Performance
As A Working Man approaches its first month in theaters, it has generated impressive earnings, raking in an estimated $86.9 million at the global box office. Although this is lower than the revenue of Statham and director David Ayer’s previous film, The Beekeeper, which grossed $162 million, the continuing appeal of A Working Man suggests it has helped to ensure that it won’t rank as the lowest-grossing film in their shared record.
The title of the lowest-grossing film collaboration firmly belongs to The Expendables 4, released in 2023, which turned out to be a surprising box office failure, grossing only $37 million. This result easily surpassed the previous low set by Homefront at $48 million, establishing an unfortunate benchmark for future projects. In contrast, A Working Man has already doubled the earnings of The Expendables 4, effectively resetting this unwanted record.
A Working Man: Their First Hit Together Since 2012
With a production budget in the vicinity of $40 million, A Working Man appears poised for recognition as a box office success, potentially crossing the pivotal $100 million mark necessary to secure profitability through standard industry metrics. This milestone is particularly significant for Stallone and Statham; it marks their first financial win together since 2012.
The year 2012 remains a hallmark in their collaborative history, with The Expendables 2 generating an impressive $314.9 million from a $100 million budget. In contrast, subsequent ventures, such as Homefront and The Expendables 3, performed below expectations, with the former grossing $48 million and the latter a disappointing $214 million against a larger budget. Meanwhile, The Expendables 4 failed to recoup its production costs, leaving A Working Man to serve as a redemption for their partnership at the box office.