Layer Cake 2: Jason Statham talks up sequel to 2004 crime caper

After months of speculation, Jason Statham has confirmed that he will take on the role made famous by Daniel Craig in the crime caper Layer Cake.

Speaking to Digital Spy, the Hollywood hardman called the sequel to the 2004 film "the most exciting thing on my plate".

It had been previously reported that Statham will star in and produce the adaptation of JJ Connolly's follow-up novel, Viva La Madness, but this is the first time he has spoken publicly about his involvement.

The novel was published in 2011, more than a decade after Layer Cake and seven years after its movie adaptation.

"JJ Connelly's written a great book called Viva La Madness, and we're taking that book and doing something great with it," he told the site.

"He's such a talented writer... the book was incredible. I loved Layer Cake and this is better. The chance to work with someone of that calibre, do something back home, it's the most exciting thing on my plate... We're doing it next year, and its full steam ahead. We're putting all the finance together and we're off and racing."

Viva La Madness is expected to follow Statham's character after he is reluctantly brought back to London from his new home in the Caribbean, to work for a UK syndicate.

Meanwhile, Stratham has also recently confirmed that he will reprise his role as Deckard Shaw in the next instalment of Fast & Furious.

"There's Fast 8, they want to do another one", he said while discussing his forthcoming projects with Den of Geek.