All Expendables 4 Rumours Thus Far

What do we know about The Expendables 4, or at least a potential Expendables 4?  The honest answer is not much.  But as with each new Expendables movie, there isn’t a lack of speculation, rumours, stirring and possibilities.  Obviously, none of the following is concrete, it’s hardly even worthy of speaking of in many instances.  But for those interested, here is a collage of everything that has been said so far.

The Cuban Connection 

The first time The Expendables 4 was really spoken of was when Avi Lerner confirmed that the movie would be made.  Along with mentioning Rambo V, Lerner said  “The action will be set in Cuba, but only if Fidel Castro is still alive, otherwise the story will change.”  That could happen.  As opposed to something outrageous like fighting ISIS, not to mention dangerous, the whole Cuban stand off thing is pretty much dead and innocuous these days.  Set locations could arguably work out cheaper as well.  It would in theory fit the retro vibe required.  On the other hand, recent political advances have been made between Cuba and the USA, so perhaps the powers that be won’t want movies upsetting the apple cart.

John Travolta

Will John Travolta be in the movie?  He was one of the first names mentioned.  Here is what MovieCricket has to say: “The latest rumour that has reached our ears is that John Travolta is being considered for the next Expendables movie, not as a hero who will join ranks of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Jason Statham and the rest, but join the leagues of villains that take on the Expendables, like Mel Gibson, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Eric Roberts”.

Pierce Brosnan

How about Pierce Brosnan, might he appear?  He was another early rumour.  He revealed a while back that he was taking up an offer to appear in the movie, Brosnan said: “I told Avi Lerner that if things line up and have a good script, you know where to find me.  I would love to be in The Expendables”.  I figure it could be the case.  Brosnan is starting to become a regular with Millennium Films.  Perhaps it’ll be a natural progression.

The Rock

How about The Rock?  He spoke about it last year on Reddit.  “If you’re asking if I would consider being in the EXPENDABLES franchise – then the answer is yes. BUT.. I don’t want to be on their team and be buddies with them. Fuck that noise. I want to hunt every single one of them down and tell them to “send your soul to heaven cause your ass is mine.” Rousey lives cause she’d be my characters training partner and Crews lives as well cause my character would need someone to compete at pec popping with.”  However, for this to happen, big concessions and ego cuts need to be made.

There Could Be More Than One

A fourth movie might not be the only one they have planned.  Speaking last year, Sylvester Stallone stated:  “We’d like to just continue this because it’s an ongoing experiment. We have great franchises with the (superhero movie) Avengers and all these situations where they branch off and do other things. I’d love to see some of these characters… all do their own movies, I know that may be a pipe dream, where they come together for the big festival of violence, but that would be the idea. It all depends on this one but I could definitely see one maybe two more and then… you never know.”

Al Pacino & Michael Douglas

Would anyone like to see Al Pacino or Michael Douglas in this movie?  Sylvester Stallone revealed that he would, when he said:  “I always wanted to make a picture with Michael Douglas. We meet periodically at guest events with various friends, he is a great man.”  Stallone also teased a potential Al Pacino role: “I invited them both to join The Expendables 4″.  Again, it’s possible I suppose, now that the stock of both men has severely been reduced.  Come to that, Robert De Niro would probably showed up if they asked him..  Hell, Harrison Ford showed up in the third.

Jean Reno

Apparently another prospective piece of talent that Sylvester Stallone considered or is considering is Jean Reno.  “I would like Christopher Lambert in The Expendables 4 as a good guy. Actually I thought about it for part 3, but there were already people taking up space. Why not Jean Reno to play the villain, I would like Luc Besson to join us too”.  I think Jean Reno would add some much needed grit and gravity to this series, since the last two movies got ahead of themselves in silliness and shark jumping.

Jackie Chan 

Jackie Chan did not appear in The Expendables 3, however he has said he’ll be in The Expendables 4.  “…this morning I did hear – the office called – Sly [Stallone] wants me for Expendables 4,” he told us. “I said, ‘Okay.’ Because they already asked me to be in two and three, but I refused. Well, I didn’t refuse, but I said, ‘Sly, can’t we just do you and me? Not just a bunch of people and me only coming out for five minutes.’ Because then the audience is, ‘Oh!’ And then I’m gone.”

It Could Film In Asia Or… Uh, Budapest?

You can always count of Sly’s dead old mother to let a few things slip, or at least spawn a rumour.  Speaking last year she said:  “Sylvester is doing the story of his life, his own biog(raphy). He’s got Rambo V to film and he’ll be going to Budapest to begin the Expendables 4 – so he’s filming his biopic in between.”  But not so fast, around the same time Stallone told fans: “As we go on, we will continue to add more stars, more personalities, more athletes, more individuals around the world, not just Americans. They’ll be from all parts of the world. Hopefully, we’ll be able to film in Asia very soon.”

John Cusack

Let us look at another man who would potentially throw the name in the hat, John Cusack.  Asked recently on whether or not he’d sign up, his response was: “What’s my price?  What do I have to do in it?  Do I throw a nice in someone’s chest and say “stick around”?  I think I can do it.”  Cusack is now another one of those outcasts Stallone likes to get on the line.  But I get the feeling the substance might be a turn off for Cusack.  I mean, Cuba?  Isn’t Cusack and aide to Fidel Castro?!

Hard R

After the dust had settled from the furore over The Expendables 3 being a PG-13 movie riddled with no-name bums, Sylvester Stallone recanted and admitted that he made a mistake (I wonder if Arnold Schwarzenegger will do the same for Terminator: Genisys?).  Later, Stallone said  “If I do another one it’s going to be a lot bloodier…hardcore R.”  But as we have seen with Mr. Stallone, talk is as cheap as Lerner’s fists are tight.  Unfortunately, if they were to go PG-13 again, I would not be surprised.

Kelsey Grammar, Arnold Schwarzenegger Or Ron Perlman?

More returnees?  Speaking to The Telegraph, Grammer said he wants to be in Sly Stallone’s The Expendables 4 and with a meatier role. “I’m in there,” he said, “I’ve told them I want to take the gloves off and do some fighting this time.”  Arnold Schwarzenegger is also keen for a fourth to get made.  “I just think it’s a terrific franchise. I told Sly to write another one or have someone else write another one. A really terrific story. Because I think it’s a great idea to have an ensemble piece with that many action heroes in a movie. Especially if the comedy is really done well. It could be a great story. There’s definitely room for another one.”  Sons of Anarchy and Hellboy Star Ron Perlman also threw his name into the hat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPMJ9geUeM

Some May Die…

After The Expendables 3 fiasco, ManlyMovie demanded that heads must roll if another movie gets made, in order to return to grown up territory.  A while later, Stallone told IGN:  “This is a big conflict for me because in an R-rated film it is difficult to believe that none of the heroes die. I personally just believe that the characters become identifiable and their demise could put a dark cloud over an audience exiting the theatre after seeing the film. But that may change in Expendables 4…”  Terry Crews pleaded and protested when they told him his character would die, he won out.  Nevertheless, Stallone later once again said he wanted things to get more serious.

The Highlander?

Finally, the most recent rumour, if you discount Hulk Hogan’s latest super-lie (he’s the lead villain, guys), is that Christopher Lambert wants in on the action.  Lambert has been telling Yahoo that he’s definitely going to be in the fourth movie, ‘if it gets made’. which it will be.  So perhaps he will be in it.  ‘If there’s an Expendables 4, I will be in it’.  So, Stallone wants him to be in one and so does he, so I guess it could happen.