Jason Statham and Tom Cruise have shared the screen only once, in Michael Mann's 2004 thriller Collateral. Statham's character's encounter with Cruise's hitman Vincent at the airport was interpreted as a nod to Statham's long-running Transporter character. Since then, both actors have proven themselves as action heroes on the big screen. While Cruise has appeared multiple times as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series, Statham has starred in countless action films. However, Statham's role as a villain in the Fast & Furious series has made him an icon of action cinema, leading to calls for a film featuring both stars together.

Statham began his career with Guy Ritchie's unforgettable crime comedies Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. He quietly built his action film credentials throughout the 2000s and 2010s. He truly became an action star with Louis Leterrier's The Transporter in 2002, which was both a major success and launched a franchise for Statham. He continued to take on action hero roles with other hit films like The Italian Job in 2003, Transporter 2, and Transporter 3.

Statham maintained his success in the following decade, appearing in The Expendables series alongside Sylvester Stallone. This sequel brought together major names like Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the late Chuck Norris, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Additionally, Statham showcased his versatility by starring alongside Melissa McCarthy in the satirical comedy Spy. His role in this film demonstrated that his immense presence and unique charisma could also shine in different genres like comedy. However, Statham reached another level in his career when he joined another blockbuster franchise in 2015.