The filming of a Hollywood movie will shut a busy crossing this weekend.

Production for Jason Statham's and Jeremy Irons' new film The Beekeeper will take over the Kingsferry Bridge between Sheppey and Sittingbourne on Saturday and Sunday.

The bridge will be off limits to the public while filming of the drama, which stars Statham, 55, and Oscar-winner Irons, 74, takes place.

It is being directed by David Ayer for Miramax.

Location manager Patrick Brown has warned residents the lift bridge will be closed from 4am today, until 10pm tomorrow, weather permitting.

The Sheppey Crossing will remain open, but there will be no train services to the Island tomorrow.

It comes just two weeks after Tom Cruise was pictured leaving his private helicopter to film at Chatham's Historic Dockyard.

The Beekeeper also features Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Bobby Naderi (Under the Shadow) and Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).

Filming in the UK began last month and the script is by Kurt Wimmer.

MGM has acquired the film for US distribution after it was announced at Cannes earlier this year.

The producers are Bill Block (Wrath Of Man) for Miramax, Chris Long for Cedar Park Studios and Statham and Wimmer.

Block told the trade website Deadline.com: “Having collaborated with Jason on Wrath Of Man and Operation Fortune and with David on Fury, we are fortunate to partner with these masters of the new action genre to bring Kurt’s brilliant script to the first instalment of this franchise.”

High winds forced filming work on the ITV drama Too Close, which used the bridge for a spectacular £100,000 stunt, to be abandoned on its first weekend of closure.

The shoot has been coordinated by the Kent Film Office.

A BBC crew has just finished shooting scenes on Sheppey for the popular crime drama Silent Witness starring Emilia Fox and David Caves, which will be shown in the new year.