Chuck Norris very nearly forced The Expendables 2 to be PG-13. The original Expendables morphed from its original premise of being a dark action thriller to being a love letter to ’80s action cinema. The original Expendables is somewhat tonally confused for that reason, jumping from silly gags one moment to haunting monologues by Mickey Rourke’s Tool the next. Still, the success of the movie proved there was an audience for this type of throwback, and The Expendables 2 doubled down on the original film’s ingredients.
The second Expendables movie featured a bigger budget and cast, adding action legends like Jean-Claude Van Damme and giving expanded roles to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. It also featured an extended cameo from Chuck Norris, who had largely retired from acting by the time of the sequel’s production. Norris’ screentime is minimal in The Expendables 2, to the point where his entire role could have been removed with no role impact on the story.
Chuck Norris’ PG-13 Expendables Condition Explained
That said, having Norris on the poster for The Expendables 2 obviously wasn’t going to hurt its box-office potential. As recounted back in a 2012 Screen Rant news feature, Norris objected to the “vulgar” language featured in The Expendables 2’s script, which wouldn’t allow younger viewers to see it. Norris stated the only way he would agree to be in the sequel was if all the bad language was removed, and it became a PG-13. Stallone would later confirm the PG-13 rumor to AICN.
Given that The Expendables was supposed to be a throwback to the R-rated action movies of old, fans of the series didn’t think this news well. The Expendables 2 was filmed as a PG-13, with the bullet impacts being dust hits, as opposed to blood squibs. However, the backlash to The Expendables 2’s PG-13 rating led producers to add digital gore to the film in post, which featured heads being shot off and all manner of bloodshed. The Expendables 2 was rated R when it hit theaters, though it should be noted, the film has no real “vulgar” language to speak of.
Chuck Norris’ Wish Came True For The Expendables 3
How Chuck Norris felt about The Expendables 2’s upgrade to an R is unknown, though in a roundabout way, he later got his wish. The Expendables 3 – which Norris didn’t return for – was built from the ground up to be a PG-13 adventure and a test to see how well the franchise would perform with younger viewers. Unfortunately, this move alienated those who enjoyed the first two films while The Expendables 3’s old-school tone proved unappealing to younger audiences. As a result, the upcoming Expendables 4 will be decidedly R-rated.
