Jason Statham will be in New Orleans later this summer filming for the third time in two years. Beginning July 18, he’ll be in the Crescent City to film Parker, based on the crime novels of Donald Westlake, for Taylor Hackford, the Academy Award nominated director of Ray (and hubby of Helen Mirren. We love her.) Statham was last in New Orleans filming both The Expendables and The Mechanic.

Jennifer Lopez is rumored to be in talks for the female lead.I’m not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand I’m always excited to hear about Jason Statham filming a new anything. On the other hand, I’m not sold on Jennifer Lopez as an actress. Steven Soderbergh got a good performance out of her when paired with George Clooney in Out of Sight, but frankly I think that was fluke. She nearly brought Ben Affleck to his knees (and not in a good way.) I don’t want her to see her “Gigli” Jason Statham, just sayin’.

Parker already has been picked up by FilmDistrict,  which will also distribute Shreveport-shot romantic comedy Playing the Field, starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman and Catharine Zeta-Jones and due for a March 2012 release.  A release date for Parker has not yet been set..