Dennis-Gansel-in-talks-to-direct-The-Mechanic-2Following on from the 2011 remake, word now surfaces that German director Dennis Gansel is in talks to direct The Mechanic 2, currently on the market out in Berlin.

THR report that the director is in negotiations with Nu Image, who are shopping the action sequel to international buyers at the European Film Market.

Jason Statham is reprising his role as Arthur Bishop, the eponymous elite assassin with a talent for clean kills, often made to look like accidental deaths, and a strict code of conduct.

No word yet if Ben Foster will be reprising his role for the upcoming sequel, but Statham’s involvement alone will no doubt be enough to continue the success of the franchise.

Remaking the 1972 film of the same name, Simon West’s The Mechanic netted just over $50m. around the world, with its home entertainment release sure to have tipped the scales very nicely in the black, given the loyalty of Statham’s fan base.

The actor is undeniably marked out as one of the most bankable stars of the genre, successfully crossing the Atlantic to make a name for himself in Hollywood over the years.

Best known for his 2008 dramatic-thriller, Die Welle (The Wave), Gansel has until now preferred to finance and produce his movies out of his native Germany, despite being courted by American producers in the past.

The writer-director most recently directed terrorist-thriller Die Vierte Macht (The Fourth State), starring Moritz Bleibtreu (Run Lola Run), Kasia Smutniak (From Paris With Love), and Rade Serbedzija (Snatch.). He was tapped back in 2012 to direct the Black Listed script, Grim Night, for Universal, though little mention of that project has been made since.

The announcement makes no mention of penning the script, nor when shooting might be looking to begin, but with Nu Image shopping the project at the EFM this month, they’re no doubt keen to get underway soon.

Statham was most recently seen leading Gary Fleder’s action-thriller, Homefront, and reunites with Simon West this year for Heat, along with Sylvester Stallone for The Expendables 3. Next year will see him take the leading antagonist role in Fast & Furious 7, and with nothing yet officially set in stone for his follow-up, if all goes well, The Mechanic 2 might well go before cameras by the end of the year.