‘Expendables 4’ Finally Confirmed, And Sylvester Stallone Promises It Will Be ‘Something Different’
Cinema Blend reports that the next installment in what is undoubtedly the most star-studded and testosterone-fueled action franchise of modern cinema, The Expendables, was just confirmed by the creator of the series, Sylvester Stalone himself. That’s right, The Expendables 4 now has an official ETA, and although parts of Stallone’s recent message regarding the film will be seen by some fans as unfortunate, it’s probably safe to say that some of what he has to say will satisfy a lot of people.
First, a little context. The Expendables franchise is, without a doubt, one of the great powerhouses of the action genre. A huge budget is spent on each movie – close to $100 million, according to box office info site The Numbers– and the films have raked in an average of $263 million each worldwide.
The nearly all-male cast of main characters changes and grows a bit in each Expendables installment, but it is consistently chock-full of A-list action stars that can help the movies achieve the signature Expendables style of packing every scene with high-intensity, explosion-filled, testosterone-fueled tension, and ferocity.
And who could possibly bring more star power to an action role than the man who brought to life Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, two of the most iconic personas in heart-pumping action cinema? We are talking, of course, about Sylvester Stallone, the man, the legend.
Stallone is not just the lead of the cast in the Expendables films, though; he is also the creator of the smash hit franchise, which is what makes his recent reveal via a video he posted on his Facebook that Expendables 4 is indeed on the way all the more credible.
https://www.facebook.com/SylvesterStallone/videos/435468666842623/
“On my way to Florida… We’re going out for the next Expendables,” Stallone reveals in the video, which he appears to have filmed himself from his seat on an airplane. “I think we got we’ve got some really great attitude going, we got great ideas.”
Stallone also noted that The Expendables 4, while obviously retaining the pulse-pounding action, will deliver the goods from a different angle than the first three Expendables movies.
“Everyone’s expecting something different. We’re gonna give it to them.”
Does this last mean significant casting changes? Prior Expendables 4 buzz would seem to suggest so. In fact, reported The Inquisitr a while back, huge names like Hulk Hogan and Jack Nicholson have been tied to the next installment.
It seems highly unlikely that Stallone and his crew would deviate too terribly far from the formula that produced the other Expendables flicks since, as mentioned above, they were so incredibly successful.
Still, though, Expendables 4 is almost guaranteed to be awesome under Stallone’s direction, no matter what tweaks he makes to the equation.
What might be less welcome news is that Expendables 4 will likely be the last Expendables film audiences will see, at least for a while.
Hollywood Reporter states that number four will be “the final title in the action franchise.” It tempers the bad news, however, by letting audiences know that not only Stallone, but also original franchise centerpieces Jason Statham and Arnold Schwarzenegger are set to return for Expendables 4.
Each of the Expendables films have been helmed by a different director, and it is not yet known who will get the chance this time around. What with such an impressive assortment of action stars filling out the cast, it would be very fitting to give Expendables 4 to an equally legendary action director like Edgar Wright or Quentin Tarantino.
Whoever is sitting in the director’s chair though, Stallone himself will surely return as the screenwriter. As for new additions to the cast, it will be very exciting to find out what new action behemoths Expendables 4 can nail down.
Who would you like to see in Expendables 4 if you had your choice? Leave your dream cast in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Lionsgate/AP Images]
