The Expendables IV

[ZariusTwo]

Action stars never say die, they just reload.

Lionsgate and Millennium Media are bringing back their gun-toting, testosterone-throbbing action franchise The Expendables for another go-around.

Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Sylvester Stallone, who have appeared in the previous three installments, are set to reprise their roles for what will be the fourth movie.

Joining the quartet are Curtis “50” Jackson, Megan Fox and Tony Jaa for a feature to be directed by stuntman-turned-helmer Scott Waugh (Need for Speed), with production to begin October.

Spenser Cohen wrote the script with revisions by Max Adams and John Joseph Connolly. Details are being kept in the lockbox but it once again will focus on a group of veteran mercenaries. And while the initial movies that were released in the early 2010s had Stallone as the focal point, sources say in this outing Statham will be the one with the biggest gun. Fox is the female lead.

Statham is also producing along with Kevin King Templeton as well as Millennium’s Les Weldon, Yariv Lerner, Jeffrey Greenstein and Jonathan Yunger.

“It’s so much fun to bring these stars together for a no-holds-barred action film,” said Jason Constantine, president of acquisitions and co-productions for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, in a statement. “The new film will raise the stakes and be the biggest, most badass adventure yet.”

“Popcorn entertainment is guaranteed,” said Millennium president, Jeffrey Greenstein, noting that the new additions to the roll call were meant to “keep it fresh and fun.”


Stallone directed the first movie and wrote the script with David Callaham, now one of the big action scribes in the comic book realm, focusing on characters with names such as Lee Christmas (Statham), Gunner Jensen (Lundgren) and Toll Road (Couture). The initial movie, released in 2010, gathered up the biggest names in action movies from the 1980s — Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger –—and paired them with wrestling stars, international martial arts stars and newer action stars. It was a formula that worked, with the three movies (the others hit theaters in 2012 and 2014) generating more than $829 million worldwide. A sequel had been in the works since the mid-2010s but hard targets proved to be elusive, with changing writers and directors.

Executive producing for Millennium are Avi Lerner, Boaz Davidson and Trevor Short with Christa Campbell and Lati Grobman on behalf of Campbell Grobman Films. Co-producing is Abby Mills.

Eda Kowan and Jonah Leach are overseeing the film for Lionsgate.

Statham has appeared in all three Expendables outings and is also a player in the Fast and Furious franchise. He recently starred in action thriller Wrath of Man and is due to reteam with director Guy Ritchie for an untitled thriller. He is repped by Patrick Knapp of GGSSC.

Stallone, repped by CAA, can currently be heard as the voice of scene-stealing DC character King Shark in The Suicide Squad and next has superhero thriller Samaritan for MGM.

Lundgren is shooting Aquaman 2, reprising his role as Atlantis’ King Nereus, and will be heard in the upcoming Minions: The Rise of Gru. He is repped by Gersh, Wonder Street and Bloom Hergott.

Couture, also repped by Gersh as well as Xtreme Couture Management, has several action flicks in post, including one called Blowback.

As for the newcomers, Jackson is one of the big names in the roster Lionsgate’s division of Starz, where he and his G-Unit Film & Television are one of the executive producers of the network’s top show, Power, and its many spinoffs. The actor-turned-TV mogul also has hit For Life on ABC and is developing a feature horror slate with Eli Roth. Jackson is repped by APA and attorneys Eric Feig and Stephen Savva.

Fox, a recognizable worldwide figure whose films have grossed more than $1 billion, recently starred in thriller Till Death, which proved to be a hit on iTunes, and next stars in Netflix thriller Night Teeth as well as indie Big Gold Brick opposite Andy Garcia and Oscar Isaac.

International martial arts master Jaa recently starred with Mila Jovovich in Monster Hunter as well as the Chinese blockbuster, Detective Chinatown 3. He is repped by Gersh, manager Michael Selby, Wonder Street and Brecheen Feldman.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mo...st-1235004992/

[Andrew NDB]

The first one took itself too seriously. The second one was OK, but tacked on the R-rating in post production, when they went back and added in digital blood. The third one wasn't even R-rated. R-rated from jump or don't bother with part 4.

[joe-eyeball]

These are fun movies even if they’re far from perfect, but the one thing all of them got completely wrong was their horrible misuse of their respective villains! Both Van Damme and Gibson especially were wasted opportunities!

[Leo656]

I forgot there was even a Part III.

First one was okay.

This seems mostly like "Let's get everybody together for One Last Round before everybody's too old and it becomes impossible to suspend any disbelief."

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I forgot there was even a Part III.

First one was okay.

This seems mostly like "Let's get everybody together for One Last Round before everybody's too old and it becomes impossible to suspend any disbelief."

Unless they do something awful like a passing of the torch, defeating the entire premise of the series.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Unless they do something awful like a passing of the torch, defeating the entire premise of the series.

Yeah, that's all we'd f*cking need. Sly and Arnold getting bailed out by Vin Diesel, John Cena and The Rock.

I might just give up on movies altogether at that point. I'm like halfway there already, anyways.

[TMNTFanatic4Life]

50 Cent is in this?


I’m sold and in!

[TheCanadiandrome]

Trailer looks good. So exited this is coming soon, been a long time coming

[IMJ]

I feel the same way, but also like this one lacks real starpower. There is no shortage of 80's and 90's icons and although I love these flicks, I'm a little disappointed with the cast. It was like when they put Rhonda Rousey and Glen Powell in the Expendables - it's fine but.... huh? And I am always down for watching Megan Fox prance around on screen, but in the Expendables? But no Milla Jovavich?

This is one of those franchises that I have a lot of observations or mini-complaints about because, ironically, I love the movies and can't help but get into the "what ifs" about them. Also they have pretty much come out and said that Jason Statham "carries" this movie, so I think Stallone's role in it will probably be about as big as Schwarzenegger's role in the previous ones.

[Andrew NDB]

The producers have forgotten what these are supposed to be about. There isn't supposed to be (much) new blood or torch passing, these are supposed to be a celebration of 80s/90s icons teaming up and fighting similar baddies.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The producers have forgotten what these are supposed to be about. There isn't supposed to be (much) new blood or torch passing, these are supposed to be a celebration of 80s/90s icons teaming up and fighting similar baddies.

Yeah and the first movie truly delivered on that and the second did fairly well. I liked the 3rd movie although the box office was hampered by leaked piracy unfortunately. But it was the 3rd movie that had a handful of awkward "young people" in it that weren't even really "action stars in their own right".

That's probably the biggest failure of the Expendables franchise - in ability to truly get all of these guys into one movie for a great "Avengers moment", but rather cameos here and there while punctuated with filler cast.

The Expendables team could literally be G.I. Joe with a full roster - everyone we've seen in all of the movies, minus the weird filler people and plus say Segal, the Rock, and a few others.

I'll definitely see the new one, but this really seems more like a "Jason Statham movie" with a bunch of untested actors in an action role.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The producers have forgotten what these are supposed to be about. There isn't supposed to be (much) new blood or torch passing, these are supposed to be a celebration of 80s/90s icons teaming up and fighting similar baddies.

Agreed, which is why it’s said Chuck Norris ain’t around again, or hell where’s Steven Seagal ffs?!

[oldmanwinters]

So given the box office performance, are they now the Expiredables??

[MikeandRaph87]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The producers have forgotten what these are supposed to be about. There isn't supposed to be (much) new blood or torch passing, these are supposed to be a celebration of 80s/90s icons teaming up and fighting similar baddies.

That is why I appreciated the 2rd film. The new blood didn't cut it so the old guys had to go in and save them. This installment came too late and was unnecessary m as the 3rd one served as a decent conclusion without any dangling plots.