Louis Leterrier has been directing movies in and out of Hollywood since 2005. His newest movie is Fast X, the tenth main installment of the Fast & Furious franchise. This is Leterrier’s first return to American cinema since 2016 and his reunion with actor Jason Statham for the first time since Transporter 2. Before we see more of Vin Diesel in their upcoming action film, let’s take a look at some of the best Louis Leterrier movies from this acclaimed director’s career.
Now You See Me (2013)
One of Leterrier’s most successful ventures in the film industry is Now You See Me, a caper thriller featuring an ensemble cast starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher. This movie follows a group of magicians who make $3 million vanish from a vault in Paris and rain over their stage in Las Vegas. This fast-paced mystery film is action-packed and features Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman in supporting roles. It has a surprising plot twist and became a box office success, earning $351.7 million. It spawned a 2016 sequel and an upcoming third film which will be directed by Ruben Fleischer.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Louis Leterrier’s other major Hollywood film is The Incredible Hulk, the second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has grown and evolved a lot in the 15 years since this film’s release, leaving this one in the dust. It is notably the only MCU movie to star Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk before he was replaced by Mark Ruffalo in future films. Even though this movie has been forgotten by many, there are aspects that make it worth watching, as this is our most recent Hulk standalone film, and there are fun moments throughout. Furthermore, Tim Roth and William Hurt have both reprised their roles as Abomination and Thaddeus Ross, respectively. Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson will also be reprising their roles from this movie in the upcoming MCU film Captain America: New World Order.
So if you’re a fan of Leterrier or if you missed this one in your MCU watch, check this one out.
Transporter 2 (2005)
Leterrier took over directing responsibilities from Cory Yuen for Transporter 2, the sequel to the 2002 movie The Transporter. This movie features Jason Statham as Frank Martin, who must reclaim the son of a politician from the people who kidnapped him and find an antidote. If there’s anything this movie showed audiences, it is that Leterrier knows how to direct crazy car chases and stunts, especially with Statham at the forefront. It’s the perfect movie if you want to get a taste of what we’ll be getting in Fast X or if you’re just in the mood to watch Statham do more of the classic tough guy schtick we’ve been watching for decades.
Clash of the Titans
While this may not be Leterrier’s most critically successful work, it has a lot going for it. Clash of the Titans is a remake of the 1981 action fantasy film and stars Sam Worthington a year after his appearance in James Cameron’s Avatar. This movie follows Perseus leading a group of warriors on a quest to prevent Hades (Ralph Fiennes) from destroying Earth. The supporting cast also features Liam Neeson, Mads Mikkelsen, and Gemma Arterton. This film was also released in 3D, banking off the hype created by Avatar the previous year. Even though the movie only has a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, the commercial success led to a sequel, Wrath of the Titans, two years later. This film is a testament to Louis Leterrier’s blockbuster style, which we’ll be getting more of soon with Fast X.