Jennifer Lopez Joins Jason Statham in Westlake’s Parker?

It might be good news for American Idol fans that weren’t thrilled with Jennifer Lopez’s time in the judge’s chair because Deadline brings word that J-Lo’s schedule might get filled enough to keep her from coming back for another season. I know; we can only hope.

Lopez is currently in negotiations to play the female lead in Parker, an action film based on Donald Westlake’s mystery novel series. Parker is a thief with a strict moral code, but that code won’t stop him from killing you if you cross him. You’ve actually seen Westlake’s character before, when Payback hit the big screen with Mel Gibson. For some reason, Parker’s name was changed to Porter, but that’s the guy.

This time around, Parker gets to keep his real name and he’ll look exactly like Jason Statham. The studio’s hope is to launch an action film franchise, and a team-up between Statham and Lopez could make those chances pretty good. Taylor Hackford is directing from a script written by John J. McLaughlin. Lopez will portray Leslie, a woman that gets involved with Parker during one of his heists.

Production on Parker begins in August.

Taking a drastic turn from the action path, Lopez is also in discussions for a supporting role in What To Expect When You’re Expecting.