After three years with no Transporter films to keep us abreast of badass Frank Martin’s machinations, writer Luc Besson is bringing his popular character to television. Transporter, the series, has already been picked up by the subscription channel Cinemax, and is set for a 12-episode season. While the new story arch will be written for television rather than the big screen, the premise, centered around Martin, his occupation, and his signifier set of rules, will fundamentally stay the same, although there’s always room for a few changes.
I always felt the storylines in the Transporter movies could be a little bumbling and detract from the whole; but, because the show will have to compete with rival network HBO as far as storyline sophistication goes and rival network Showtime’s Spartacus as far as action is concerned, Besson’s been given a blessing—a great chance to flesh out Frank Martin’s character and bring in even more crazy action for television. According to Deadline, he’s got $48 million budget geared toward the series, so it’s not like he’s lacking in material (wealth) to work with.
It’s too bad Statham’s such a big star. If he, too, were involved in the project, it would certainly be enough to get me to buy a Cinemax subscription. Stay tuned to find out who will be filling the role.
