Men dream of being what The Expendables are. The franchise that follows a macho ragtag crew obliterating enemies for pay is moving to a new streaming platform as fans anticipate the release of the fourth film.
The action-packed saga of The Expendables, consisting of The Expendables, The Expendables 2, and The Expendables 3, is now available for streaming on Peacock. This Lionsgate film series, which kicked off in 2010, is renowned for its lineup of stars, featuring iconic names like Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, and Bruce Willis.
The sequel, which was released in 2012, introduced Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Liam Hemsworth to the mix. And as the series continued with the third installment, the ensemble grew even more spectacular, as Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Kelsey Grammer, Kellan Lutz, Rona Rousey, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Mel Gibson, and Harrison Ford joined the packed roster.
A homage to the action films that dominated the screens in the 1980s and 1990s, the first installment in the series raked in a substantial $274 million, all while working with a production budget of $80 million. This impressive performance justified the development of a sequel, The Expendables 2, which managed to surpass its $100 million production cost threefold, emerging as a resounding success both financially and critically.
Unfortunately, the third film stumbled among audiences, primarily owing to its PG-13 rating, which marked a significant deviation from the established tone of its predecessors. Lionsgate seems to have learned from this, as the upcoming film Expend4bles will have an R rating, a move that may reignite fan interest in the franchise.
While some familiar faces like Terry Crews and Arnold Schwarzenegger won’t be making a comeback, the film will introduce a new array of actors, including Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia.
Considering the blockbuster success enjoyed by action titles like John Wick: Chapter 4, Extraction 2, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Sisu this year, Expend4bles will be hoping to capitalize on this wave of popularity.
Sylvester Stallone will be eyeing a resurgence in favorable box office outcomes, a success that would almost certainly act as a catalyst for the development of a fifth film.
