Sylvester Stallone previously dropped hints about Expendables 4 happening, and now the film is confirmed to be going forward. When it released back in 2010, the first Expendables played like a tremendous action movie jam session, featuring old school heroes like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger sharing the stage with new school stars like Jason Statham and Jet Li. And in classic ’80s action movie fashion, the film whipped up enough graphic violence to earn an R rating.
Audiences embraced the semi-nostalgic Expendables formula to the tune of $274 million in worldwide grosses. The Expendables 2 followed, with Schwarzenegger receiving a beefed-up part, and scared up $315 million worldwide. By the time Expendables 3 rolled around however, the formula had begun to seem tired, and it didn’t help that producers, apparently reaching for a bigger audience, elected to go for a PG-13 rating instead of an R. Despite the third movie’s diminished returns – only $214 million worldwide – Stallone has long hinted that Expendables 4 would still happen (despite his apparent battles with Millennium Films).
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Now, we have official confirmation that Stallone wasn’t lying about The Expendables 4. As reported by Deadline, the fourth Expendables movie has gotten the go-ahead after Millennium Films struck an all-important deal with with exhibitors Dadi for Chinese distribution rights. Deadline reports an early 2019 start date for the film.
Along with the Expendables 4 news, Deadline also reports that Millennium has sold Chinese rights for Rambo 5 as part of the same deal, with the movie going before cameras in September. Stallone previously revealed a Fall 2019 release date for the fifth Rambo film, which will reportedly see Rambo taking on a Mexican drug cartel. Stallone himself has been working on the script with an eye toward possibly directing. At the present moment, Stallone continues work on Creed 2, which sees him playing the role of Rocky Balboa for the eighth time.
We don’t know any plot details about Expendables 4 as of now, nor do we have confirmation on casting. For the record, Schwarzenegger previously said he wouldn’t return to the franchise without Stallone. Now that the movie appears to be going forward with Stallone out front, does this mean Schwarzenegger will be back? In many people’s minds, previous Expendables movies somewhat squandered the Stallone-Schwarzenegger pairing, failing to give fans the juicy scenes they had been craving since the two stars’ days competing for the Action King crown. Schwarzenegger himself once said he had no interest in making more Expendables movies unless writers gave him more to do than fire off one-liners.
While they wait for Expendables 4 and Rambo 5, Stallone fans can watch the actor in yet another action sequel when he teams with Dave Bautista for Escape Plan 2. And yes, Stallone already has plans for Escape Plan 3. It wouldn’t be a Stallone movie without a number in the title.
