John Wick 4 and The Expendables 4 are poised to be two of the biggest entries into the action genre in the near future. But which one will be better?
The upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4 and The Expendables 4 are poised to be two of the biggest entries into the action movie genre arriving in the near future. The fourth installments of both franchises are packed with icons from popular action and martial arts films. With the two on the horizon, it’s worth wondering which theatrical action flick will top the other – both critically and commercially.
Considering that there hasn’t been an Expendables movie since 2014, some believed that Sylvester Stallone’s action ensemble franchise died with the third film’s failure. Though there was talk of a fourth film for quite a while, it took years before official plans began to take shape. Confirmed for a 2022 release, The Expendables 4 will reunite Barney Ross’ elite squad of trained killers. In addition to a returning cast that boasts Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Jason Statham, The Expendables 4 has some interesting new additions, such as 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, and Megan Fox.
In contrast to The Expendables, the John Wick franchise hasn’t slowed down. Having only kicked off in 2014, the series of revenge thrillers starring Keanu Reeves is already on its fourth chapter and is continuing to pick up steam. Previously set for a 2022 release, John Wick 4 was delayed to 2023. But while 2022 won’t ultimately feature an exciting box office battle between the two action giants, there’s still a debate to be had over which movie will be a bigger hit for the genre. Here’s how John Wick Chapter 4 and The Expendables 4 compare to each other, and which one has a better chance of surpassing the other.
John Wick 4 & Expendables 4 Are Two Of The Biggest Upcoming Action MoviesThe casts that have been assembled for their respective fourth installments show that they’re two of the most important upcoming action movies. In the case of The Expendables 4, stars as big as Stallone and Statham obviously need no introduction. Their presence alone is a boon to the movie’s potential. The movie doesn’t appear to be bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, or Terry Crews, but having mainstays like Lundgren and Couture around should help ensure that it carries over its fanbase from the first three movies. Uwais and Jaa may not have the same level of name recognition, but being fan-favorite martial arts stars could widen its audience. 50 Cent can contribute in that regard as well.
The Expendables of course still has a reputation as the franchise with the most action icons, but the John Wick movies are demonstrating a capability to compete in the area of star power. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum delighted martial arts fans by featuring Mark Dacascos and Scott Adkins in major roles. And thanks to appearances from Lawrence Fishburne and Halle Berry, John Wick 3 was able to please mainstream audiences at the same time. With Donnie Yen appearing in John Wick: Chapter 4, the franchise is in a position to repeat (and potentially expand on) the success of that formula. After starring in the Ip Man movies, Yen is one of the most popular actors of the current generation of kung fu movies. In fact, he’s emerged as a successor of sorts to Jackie Chan and Jet Li, who dominated the Hong Kong action movie scene in the 1990s and 2000s. Adding to that, recent roles in movies like Mulan and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story have allowed the actor to earn even greater stardom over the last few years. Yen’s inclusion, combined with the popularity of the first three movies (not to mention Keanu Reeves himself), is assured to bring a great deal of international attention to John Wick: Chapter 4 in 2023.
John Wick 4 vs Expendables 4: Which Action Movie Will Be Better?
In terms of critic reviews and the reactions of general audiences, John Wick has certainly been a step up from The Expendables. Looking at where both franchises are now, there’s a sense that John Wick: Chapter 4 holds an advantage over The Expendables 4 when it comes to which one will be better quality-wise. Parabellum didn’t go over quite as well as the first two movies, but the franchise has consistently delivered solid stories packed with interesting characters, thrilling action sequences, and a style that has yet to go stale with audiences. The sheer number of John Wick clones that studios have been making signifies just how well its formula works. And the notion that the franchise has been consistent is a great sign for its future. All things considered, John Wick: Chapter 4 is the favorite to win in this respect. That being said, The Expendables 4 has an opportunity to really turn some heads. The last Expendables movie disappointed on several levels, but if the latest film fixes what went wrong before it could turn into a fun, explosive ride driven by some of the best names in the genre. It’s possible that by focusing on a smaller cast of actors (ala John Wick), The Expendables 4 can create some truly memorable moments for Stallone’s Ross and the rest of its characters.
John Wick 4 vs Expendables 4 Box Office: Which Will Make More Money?
The better movie won’t necessarily be the most profitable of the two. Which of the two will perform the best at the global box office? To properly analyze how the situation will play out, it’s important to take note of how both franchises have fared financially. As a whole, The Expendables series has earned a much bigger profit. Encompassing all three movies, The Expendables has a net gross of $804 million, whereas John Wick has brought in only $587 million. However, there are indications that the gap between them may narrow significantly once their fourth chapters have been released.
The interest in Stallone’s ensemble franchise seemingly tapered off with Expendables 3, which only grossed a meager $214 million. John Wick, on the other hand, has been heading in the opposite direction. Its third movie vastly outperformed both of its predecessors. So far, the box office value of the John Wick franchise has grown tremendously since the first film hit theaters in 2014. If John Wick: Chapter 4 continues the trend (which feels like a very strong possibility at this point), it should come out ahead of The Expendables 4. Based on what happened with The Expendables 3, a complete turnaround will be needed for The Expendables 4 to beat John Wick: Chapter 4 at the box office.
As stated in the text, Expendables 4 can create memorable moments with a small cast, but there is a chance that this will not happen because the small cast chosen is not exactly what fans of the saga expected. The concept of Expendables 4 has always revolved around a film composed primarily of legends from the 80s and 90s, as well as other actors who are not necessarily legends, but who have a very good performance and adaptable to almost any genre of film.
ReplyDeleteThe chosen team has a lot of stars not so well known for doing action, kicking a lot of bad guys and making the teen and grandpa like what they're seeing with euphoria. Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais manage to captivate quite a bit when it comes to action, Andy Garcia is an acting legend, but Levy Tran and 50 Cent should be seriously reconsidered as her blonde hair breaks the atmosphere and 50 Cent really doesn't look like an Expendable. Tran and 50 Cent, in short, aren't known for doing action and don't look like Expendables.
Megan Fox has very good acting, has made several good action movies. The only problem is the costume looks too much like a model rather than a soldier. The outfit she wore in the movie Rogue (2020) seemed to be perfect for the Expendables, but they preferred to put on a pair of latex-like pants to emphasize her curves. Action movies need atmosphere, and atmosphere includes costumes.
It may be that the apparent emphasis on action and story will captivate longtime and new fans alike to the point of surpassing John Wick, but it's too early to say anything about the Expendables. This experimentation with a smaller cast and without many important and legendary names making up the main team seems to be a shot in the dark, because the concept of Expendables, even in the worst situations like that of 3, has always been "legendary names in the majority, in the heroes and in the villains". 3 may have been a horror, but remember the villain? It was Mel Gibson.
Thus, it is difficult to speculate about one franchise surpassing the other, but it is very debatable whether a franchise could lose by running away from the concept that has always pleased fans from the beginning. John Wick never ran away, but Expendables 4 tries to "reinvent" itself and puts a bunch of young people thinking that this is enough to revitalize a franchise.