Megan Fox is not expendable in EX4!

I tried my best...

Is EX4 Shooting Some Scenes In London?

By now we know that the next EX Movie will mostly film in Bulgaria. But will some of the scenes be shot in London, UK?

Buster Reeves the stunt coordinator of the movie has been in London for some time, and posted another picture from there, same room where he posted the photo of the cast from.

We know that Sly and Lundgren will stop in London before they leave for Bulgaria! Statham is from there, does he live there now or will he go there?

Is there an opening scene shot in London with the core EX crew that eventually leads to the rest of the story that will film in Bulgaria? Let’s have some fun speculating…

50 Cent Is Expendable

Jaa Confirms His Participation

Titles Galore: EX4 or not EX4...?

So it's finally officially confirmed. The fourth THE EXPENDABLES movie is a go and will be filmed in October. 

All clues lead to the spin-off idea A CHRISTMAS STORY in which Jason Statham will take center stage with Sly in a supporting role. One of the questions I ask myself lately and Millennium or Lionsgate will probably ask or have already asked themselves is how to name the movie. A 'normal' sequel with Stallone leading the cast and some high-caliber new additions as seen in the first three movies would be called THE EXPENDABLES 4. No doubt about that. We're talking spin-off though. So what could Lionsgate or Millennium think?

Option 1: 

It's a spin-off, yes, but it's still the fourth EXPENDABLES film. So let's just call it THE EXPENDABLES 4. 

Option 2: 

It's the fourth EXPENDABLES film, right, but we want to make clear that it's a spin-off concentrating more on Statham's character. So let's combine these two things. Voilà, THE EXPENDABLES 4: A CHRISTMAS STORY.

Option 3: 

With the 4 in the title everybody will forget the rest of the title. So let's lose the 4 for THE EXPENDABLES: A CHRISTMAS STORY.

Option 4: 

We put the emphasis on the different direction even more and call it A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE EXPENDABLES 4 or A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE EXPENDABLES.

Option 5: 

We need a bold move! The movie's just called A CHRISTMAS STORY. Well... No! 

Personally I'd prefer THE EXPENDABLES: A CHRISTMAS STORY. So let's wait and see what they will come up with. Maybe they dodge A CHRISTMAS STORY altogether and come up with a completely new title... 

Exciting times for an EXPENDABLES fan!

What is your choice for the title?

WHO IS EX4 DIRECTOR SCOTT WAUGH?

 

The director of EX4 is Scott Waugh, relatively unknown to most people. He started out as a stunt man in the business, and later got into producing. He has directed only 4 feature films: Act of Valor, Need for Speed, 6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain, and the upcoming Snafu. 

Snafu is the modified "Ex-Baghdad" that Stallone was supposed to star in with Jackie Chan at one point. Sly dropped out, and they replaced him with John Cena.

I've seen Need For Speed and Act of Valor, but I can't remember much about either one. Waugh appears to be another cheap director for hire that Avi Lerner grabbed. Now maybe, just maybe, he has a great vision that will translate nicely to the big screen, but that remains to be seen.

Lionsgate Confirms the Next Expendables Movie

A new “Expendables” movie is in the works, with Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone among the cast members returning as elite mercenaries tasked with carrying out perilous missions.

Along with Statham and Stallone, franchise vets Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture are reprising their roles for the fourth installment in the action-packed saga, while 50 Cent, Megan Fox and Tony Jaa are joining the series.

Scott Waugh is directing the latest “Expendables” from a screenplay by Spenser Cohen with revisions by Max Adams and John Joseph Connolly. The film, from Lionsgate and Millennium Media, will begin production this fall.

“We are thrilled to partner with our friends at Millennium Media for the next installment of the ‘Expendables’ franchise,” said Jason Constantine, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s president of acquisitions and co-productions. “It’s so much fun to bring these stars together for a no-holds-barred action film. The new film will raise the stakes and be the biggest, most badass adventure yet.”

Jeffrey Greenstein, Millennium Media president, adds, “The Expendables are back, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this star-studded, action-packed film to the big screen with Lionsgate, who have been with us since the inception of this franchise. To keep it fresh and fun, we’ve added exciting new stars to join the veterans; popcorn entertainment is guaranteed.”

Stallone directed the first “Expendables,” which opened in 2010 and featured cameos by Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite mixed reviews and modest box office returns, it spawned two creatively named sequels — 2012’s “The Expendables 2” and 2013’s “The Expendables 3.” Statham and Stallone have appeared in each installment, with the sequel featuring Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Liam Hemsworth and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the threequel enlisting Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes and Kelsey Grammer.

The three movies, which pay homage to the blockbuster action films of the late ’80s and early ’90s, have collectively generated more than $800 million at the global box office. Talks of a fourth movie have been percolating for years, but it didn’t officially get the greenlight until recently.

The Expendables Spinoff Theory: Jason Statham Will Take Over The Series

The fourth Expendables movie will focus on Jason Statham's Lee Christmas, and it could be a passing of the torch to him from Sylvester Stallone.

By Brad Curran

The Expendables franchise is moving ahead with a spin-off focused on Jason Statham's Lee Christmas, and it could be the point where the series passes its leadership mantle to him. The gimmick of 2010's The Expendables was its testosterone-drenched throwback to 80's and 90's action movies, with Sylvester Stallone leading an ensemble that included formidable action stars Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture. The Expendables 2 dove even harder into this macho premise with a returning main cast beefed up with appearances by Bruce Willis and action movie darling Arnold Schwarzenegger after their cameos in the original, as well as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins, and Chuck Norris coming aboard. While The Expendables 3 rounded up the biggest ensemble yet (including but not limited to Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Ronda Rousey, and Mel Gibson), the decision to finally hit the hard-R franchise with a PG-13 led to its downfall.

While The Expendables 4 has been discussed and teased at various points in the years since, nothing solid has come of it until the news of the Lee Christmas-centric spin-off. The decision to go with a spin-off rather than a direct sequel is likely related to the dream team's composition, which started to changing since the third film. Jet Li, in particular, has primarily focused on philanthropic work, with his role in the series as Yin Yang already making a noticeably early exit by The Expendables 2. Meanwhile, Stallone, following a career's worth of injuries including a hairline fracture in his neck on The Expendables, has gradually moved into less action-heavy roles.

At the same time, Statham's career in action films has only gotten bigger since, especially with his role as villain-turned-anti-hero Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious series. With the spin-off of The Expendables to be centered on Lee Christmas, it could be more than just the series switching gears to put the spotlight on one specific Expendable. Here's why The Expendables spin-off, reportedly titled A Christmas Story, could pass the torch of leadership from Stallone to Statham.

Stallone's Barney Has Been The Main Focus Of The Expendables Trilogy

While the gimmick of The Expendables from the start has been the ultimate action star ensemble, Barney Ross has been the leader of the pack. That isn't to say the other Expendables and their various antagonists haven't made an impression over the course of the series. Dolph Lundgren's return to the spotlight since his Ivan Drago days can be pinpointed directly to his portrayal of the volatile Gunner Jensen, Terry Crews has been the series' main source of comic relief as Hale Caesar, and, following his appearance in The Expendables 2, the rise of Scott Adkins to mainstream action movie stardom was noticeably accelerated. Yet, even so, Barney Ross has remained the team captain.

When the Expendables are called for their next mission, Barney's the one summoned by Bruce Willis' Mr. Church (or Harrison Ford's Max Drummer.) Barney's also been chief coordinator of everything when the team heads into action. Typically, he has been the Expendables' rep in the final hand-to-hand fights with Jean Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme) or Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson). With all of that said, there are signs that Barney could be headed into retirement as the leader of the Expendables. Part of that comes from Stallone's own career in the past few years.

Stallone Has Been Easing Into Mentor Roles

While Stallone's stayed busy in action films, like the Escape Plan movies and Rambo: Last Blood, he's also started taking on projects with less of a physical burden, including voice roles in films like Rachet & Clank and as the ravenous King Shark in The Suicide Squad. The real transition Stallone's made though has been in the very role that launched his career, with Rocky Balboa's mentorship of Adonis Creed in the Creed movies.

Stallone's performance as the mellow and seasoned Rocky in both Creed movies has been possibly his most widely praised in the current phase of his career, even winning him a Golden Globe for his performance in the first. Through both films, Rocky has been both a boxing mentor and a calm voice of reason to the hot-tempered Adonis, and while the Creed spin-offs became Michael B. Jordan's breakout, they also showed that Stallone is as well-suited to portraying mentors as his Rocky, Rambo, and Expendables roles, and even his possible cameo in Creed III shouldn't be discounted. As Stallone could be preparing to settle into roles more in the mentor vein in the future, the Expendable most groomed to assume command of the team in the next installment is obvious.

Jason Statham Taking Over The Expendables Makes Sense

When it comes to the other Expendables, Lee Christmas is the clear choice to take the reins from Barney. Aside from Stallone, Statham has been the most significant player in The Expendables series, and the one with the most prominent character arc in his relationship with his girlfriend Lacy, portrayed by Charisma Carpenter, as Lee withheld his profession as a mercenary from her, causing a strain on their relationship. Only after Lee's retaliation against her new boyfriend for beating her does Lacy come to realize what he does for a living, and though her role in The Expendables 2 was brief, she's had the chance to adjust to his dangerous, clandestine line of work. Lee's friendship with Barney has also been a central element of The Expendables, making the case that much greater for him to take center stage.

Jason Statham himself was already a well-known presence in action movies with The Transporter and Crank films, and he's gone on to become one of the quintessential action stars of the modern era, as audience responses to Deckard Shaw's first appearance in the end-credits scene of Fast & Furious 6 can attest to. Statham's even been paired with The Rock in the Hobbs & Shaw corner of the Fast Saga, with #JusticeForHan following Shaw there, so a passing on of leadership of the Expendables could be on the cards with Statham now effectively having reached a similar stride as Stallone had with Rocky and Rambo. At the same time, that doesn't mean that Barney will be out of the series completely.

Stallone's Possible Role In Future Expendables

Though Lee might become the new focal point of The Expendables with the spin-off, Barney is set to be present in some capacity, and it could be how the franchise adjusts to their respective new roles. Barney, now possibly entering retirement, could take on a similar role to Mickey Rourke's Tool in the first movie, helping to liaise new missions the Expendables take on and passing on his battlefield wisdom to new recruits, with Tool never having returned to the series after the first film. While he could theoretically pop up to lend a hand here or there similar to Booker (Chuck Norris) in The Expendables 2, Barney's experiences leading the team on many missions both seen and unseen could be where he transitions to after passing the torch to Lee.

Considering their close friendship throughout the first three films, Barney and Lee would probably maintain their connection with Lee now in command of the team, Lee probably seeing Barney as a supportive ally as he enters his new leadership role. Essentially, the series could do for Barney Ross what Creed did for the aging Rocky over his lifetime of a story, albeit from slightly different angle. While Barney would be a source of mentorship to new, incoming Expendables, he and Lee have always been equals on the team. With their history together, Barney would be the guy Lee would feel compelled to call up to offer new recruits a pep talk or map out how to escape their latest impossible escapade with his long history as a mercenary.

With both Stallone and Statham attached to The Expendables spin-off, it's very unlikely to ditch the series' ensemble trademark. Still, the focus on Lee and at least the theoretical possibility of the Christmas Story working title being utilized in some way surely hasn't gone unnoticed, and it could point to the bigger plans for the Expendables series' revival in part 4. When The Expendables spin-off lands, audiences could finally see Barney Ross step down as the leader of the mercenary team, and passing it onto the best man for the job, none other than his closest brother-in-arms, Lee Christmas.

Source: Screenrant 

EX4 IS COMING OUR WAY

 

Who Is Expendable?

The Expendables series has given us three blockbuster films and reunited us with some of our favourite old-school action stars of yesteryear but despite fleeting moments of glorified beefed-up carnage, the franchise has sadly failed to hit the mark for many fans of the genre. So where did it go wrong? Personally, the root of the problem stems from the title.

How many of the core team have perished in the three films? Going by the title you’d expect most, if not all. However, only one member has died on screen and that honour went to Billy The Kid in the second movie, played by Chris Hemsworth’s lesser known brother, Liam. Yeah, he was a welcome and likeable addition to the team, but you just knew he was brought in as canon fodder. So let’s take a look at the core squad and break down just how expendable they really are.

Barney Ross (Stallone): Barney is the leader of these elite mercenaries and there isn’t really anyone else you could see in this role other than Stallone. Behind the scenes Sly was the one who reached out to all the guys who appeared in the first movie and it’s something of a minor miracle that it all came together like it did, so it’s only fitting he plays the leader of the team on screen. He’s the glue that keeps them together. Looking back at the first film, there were several moments where Barney could have died, and on first viewing you didn’t know if he would survive or not. Despite a few scares, he managed to survive all three movies, but come the third outing any sense of danger has all but vanished. Sly coasts through every battle like an invincible superhero who is able to dodge bullets, explosions and even run up several flights of stairs to get to the roof of a building... that is collapsing. If reports are to be believed then it seems that Sly will have a much smaller role in the forthcoming Expendables film due to several factors. Does this mean that Barney Ross will be killed off? Or will he simply disappear into the wilderness? My guess is he will die and this will then give the remaining members a reason to carry on and seek revenge.

Prediction for new movie: Expendable

Lee Christmas (Statham): Stallone aside, Jason Statham easily gets the most screen time in all three movies. For large parts of the first film it could be argued that it is a buddy movie, with Barney Ross and Lee Christmas sharing countless scenes together, most notably when just the two of them fly out to conduct reconnaissance of an island. The fight at the end of Expendables 2 with the ever-impressive Scott Adkins is one of the highlights of the entire series, but it’s a shame knowing that they didn’t have much time to plan out the brawl. Had they had the extra time it could have been even better than what we got. The title for the new film is tentatively called A Christmas Story, which clearly points at Statham having all the glory. Taking this into account, Statham will take lead and step into Stallone’s shoes.

Prediction for new movie: Survives

Yin Yang (Li): As the films have progressed, Li’s screen time has regressed. Yin Yang was scattered throughout the first film just enough so that he felt a part of the story, but when Expendables 2 came around he only filmed for a couple of days over in Hong Kong and it showed. Yes, he did give us that entertaining beatdown of a guy with a frying pan but that was largely it. And if you blinked then you will probably have missed him in the third movie where he was completely underused and wasted. Li’s health problems were no doubt the main reason for his lack of physical action and screen time, but will he appear in the next instalment? Although the cast is not yet officially known, there has been no mention of Jet Li appearing. It’s more than likely his character will be mentioned in passing to explain his absence.

Prediction for new movie: Expendable (if he appears)

Gunner Jensen (Lundgren): Gunner was perhaps the most interesting character in the first film due to his unpredictability and volatile nature. Originally set to be killed off in the movie, he turns up in the last scene joking with the rest of the gang and back on good terms after betraying them. A guy as large and powerful as Lundgren should be doing more fighting, but aside from the woefully edited scrap he has with Jet Li in the first picture, Dolph has done nothing but shoot bad guys with a gun (and kick one goon over a balcony while calling him a maggot). Due to the enormous cast in Expendables 3, Lundgren was pushed into the background and sadly offered nothing whatsoever. Surely his role can’t get even smaller in the next film?

Prediction for new movie: Survives

Toll Road (Couture): As with Li and Lundgren, Randy Couture’s character of Toll Road now has little to offer aside from an inevitable death. His role in the first movie was limited but he did have a pretty intense physical battle with Stone Cold Steve Austin. His second outing was even more limited and by the time he appeared in Expendables 3 he had about five lines of pointless dialogue, which included been impressed that Lundgren could drive a tank: “Damn, that’s cool”. If any of the team are expendable, then poor old Toll Road simply has to go, but at least then he will be spared the jokes about his cauliflower ear.

Prediction for new movie: Expendable

Hale Caesar (Crews): Terry Crews won’t be in the next film, it’s that simple. A couple of years ago Crews had personal issues, a court case was involved and he basically said he won’t appear in another Expendables movie. Incidentally, his character of Hale Caesar was killed off in the script for Expendables 3, but when it came to filming things that changed. Crews apparently begged Stallone to keep him alive and so that’s what ultimately happened. Just like Lundgren in the first film, Crews magically returns for the final scene in the bar with the rest of the gang. It felt like a complete cop out and severely weakened the teams emotional drive to hunt down Mel Gibson. Although the absence of Hale Caesar is guaranteed, his name could well be mentioned as to why he is not around, perhaps out on a separate mission with Yin Yang.

Prediction for new movie: Expendable (but he won’t appear)

Preparing for EX4: The Ultimate Trilogy Retrospective

With EX4 on the way "The Expendables Trilogy - Ultimate Retrospective" (from Savo Central) reminds us what was great (and maybe not so great) about the first three movies. Enjoy! 

 

EX4 films again at Nu Boyana Studios...a closer look at the studio location.

We know that once again, EX4 will film in Bulgaria, at Nu Boyana Studios. This is a promotional video made about the studios, and has a lot of EX3 clips and quick interviews on set. Interesting how Sly absolutely loves working in Bulgaria (as he claims in this video), but recently just complained how he is sick of filming there.

EX4: A CHRISTMAS STORY as final act? -- Speculations

It's finally happening! 

THE EXPENDABLES 4 is filming in October. THE EXPENDABLES 4? Well, kind of. The final title is still to be announced but right now the movie is referenced as either THE EXPENDABLES: A CHRISTMAS STORY or THE EXPENDABLES 4: A CHRISTMAS STORY. It's described as a spin-off with Jason Statham's character "Lee Christmas" taking center stage.

A spin-off? The fourth movie very often was labelled as very possibly the final entry in the series. So why not doing a proper EX4? Sly and the rest of the gang are on set come October. Why not going out with a bang?

In a comment on the StalloneZone forum Sly voiced his dissatisfaction with the CGI and the locations in the franchise (probably meaning EX2 and EX3). Pair that with an argument between Stallone and producer Avi Lerner a few years ago regarding the future of the EX franchise it could very well be Stallone is not willing to throw himself fully into one more mercenerary romp and is saying goodbye to the franchise for good. 

It's clear now that "Barney Ross" will have more of a supporting role in the new movie. How big nobody knows though. We'll get some clues when filming begins. Will he be on set for a few days only which would possibly lead to a screen time of maybe 20 minutes (ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES comes to mind) or more? Or even less? When asked on the StalloneZone forum how big a role it will be Sly cryptically answered "In and out" and "Don't blink". Could it even be just one or two scenes? These scenes were described as emotional in an article on theilluminerdi.com. So what are the odds that Barney Ross will even die in this one? 

Is Sly really ready to leave this franchise behind? Another ROCKY seems unlikely at this point due to the fact that MGM and Irwin Winkler want to concentrate on the CREED franchise, in particular "Adonis Creed". CREED III hits November 2022 without Sly.

Stallone hinted at another RAMBO a few weeks back so that is still in the cards.

THE EXPENDABLES series though could remain his go-to franchise over the next few years even at his age. Keep the budgets at $50-70 million (not the $100 million they spent for EX1-EX2-EX3) and the movies could always make some profit.

"Barney Ross" could take on a mentor role in future entries with reduced screen time. But maybe Sly really wants out for good and wants to concentrate on original projects like SAMARITAN which will be released next summer and was getting great reactions at CinemaCon this week when MGM showed the first trailer.

So let's assume "Barney" is out of the picture (Where did I hear this before? I can't remember. What a Drummer, I mean bummer...). Will A CHRISTMAS STORY really be the final act? Much of it depends on the movie's success of course. If it tanks or disappoints at the box office then that'll probably be it. 

But what if it does decent business? Avi Lerner likes franchises. He probably likes money even more (The first three movies made $804 million at the worldwide box office). Lundgren, Snipes, or Couture will be there if an EX5 was made. Statham? With Sly's blessing to continue on without him and if the money's right I see him continue. It's always good to have a franchise!

But even with Statham quitting I think Lerner might continue with Lundgren, Snipes, etc. Probably not as theatrical movies but as DTVs or movies produced for a streaming service. The budgets will be considerably smaller, the action not as grand but the name THE EXPENDABLES alone might be enough to attract viewers. The movie starts, the theme plays BAM BAM DADADAMDAM DADADA BAM BAM... Hell, I'd watch that...!

But first let's enjoy the next months with more casting news, set pics, a teaser, a trailer and finally the movie. And Sly's in it. That's all I need at the moment! 

Boom-lay boom-lay boom!

Sly Likes The EXBlog

 

EX4 Is Filming In Bulgaria

Not a major piece of news but rather a confirmation that EX4 is shooting in Bulgaria. The Production Assistant of the movie left a comment for Sly on his Instagram account that they’ll see each other on set in Bulgaria! 

Bulgaria it is again…I wonder if this is one of the reasons Sly is exiting the franchise. Locations never change with these movies!!

EX4: What Led To A Spin-off

For hardcore fans of the EX franchise it is well known by now that EX4 will be taking a spin-offish direction with Statham in the lead role. Sly who originally led and built the EX franchise will only appear in a few scenes playing a supporting role. So how did we get there? Well, here’s the chronological events of the making of EX4: A Christmas Story that led to all this:

Oct 2015: EX4 is announced to film in 2016 with a 2017 release date. Financed by Chinese distributors with a budget of $100M.

Jul 2016: Couture says a script is being adapted

 

Oct 2016: Seagal shows interest in the movie; “ would be willing to chat with @TheSlyStallone he knows I appreciate his project."

Nov 2016: Couture says they’re still waiting on the script, Sly wants to take the movie in a different direction.

Dec 2016: Splendid Film secures the distribution of EX4 in the German-speaking European market, confirms that the movie will now be released in 2018 with Stallone, Statham, Schwarzenegger, Banderas, Snipes & Lundgren.

Dec 2016: Sly announces that he's preparing for EX4 and it will be different.

Mar 2017: Sly exits the project. He and Nu Image/Millennium chief Avi Lerner could not find common ground on a new director, on the script and on certain qualitative elements of the film.

Apr 2017: Arnold also exits the project, says he’d never do the movie without Sly.

May 2017: Avi confirms that EX4 is moving ahead without Sly. “We will do Expendables 4, without Sylvester Stallone. We've got a script. We're working on it. There will be more Expendables, but not with him”.

Jun 2018: Millennium announces EX4 in Cannes, says Stallone will return for Rambo 5 in September 2018 and star in The Expendables 4 in early 2019. After their fallout a year prior, it felt like Avi and Sly cut a deal for Sly’s new production company to co-produce Rambo in exchange for Sly’s participation in EX4 this time under Avi’s terms.

Jul 2018: the script is in by G. Poirier. Couture says he read it and is yet the best EX story ever. A role for Kurt Russell is penciled in to play a “Snake Plissken” like character.

May 2019: Couture says the movie is set to film in the summer.

Jul 2019: Sly announces that he’s cooking up EX4 and The Expendables will be back in town soon! At the same time the co-producers Campbell and Grobman confirm that they’re working on the movie.

Oct 2019: Couture says production is now set to start in the spring of 2020. All the boys will be back. Arnold says he won't be in the movie if his part is not written well!

Jan 2020: Avi announces that the next EX movie is scheduled to film in May. All the boys including Arnold are back.

An exclusive report by theilluminerdi.com sends a shock wave revealing that the movie intended to be shot in May is in fact a spin-off and not a direct sequel. Millennium has decided to go with Statham in the lead role and move Sly to the back stage with a fewer scenes compared to the 1st three movies. The script by Poirier for a direct sequel is scrapped and a new script has been adapted written this time by a certain Max Adam. New addition is Tony Jaa.

Mar 2020: COVID hits, the movie is put on hold...

Aug 2020: the Spanish distributor Vertice announces that EX4 will be released in 2022. Statham is top billed and Hughes (EX3) is billed as the director.

Nov 2020: Millennium’s Jeffrey Greenstein reveals that they are "working on getting a fourth Expendables" but Sly says he's uncertain.

Apr 2021: Couture says the movie will finally happen in the fall and a new script is now being worked on. The one he had read 2 years ago has "got away".

Jul 2021: Sly announces that his ring for EX4 is ready, Lundgren hints at his return.

Aug 2021: Couture confirms EX4 with a more reduced cast. Statham, Sly, Snipes, Banderas and Lundgren are set to return. The movie is scheduled to film in October in Europe.

The movie's stunt coordinator confirms the script by Max Adam, and unintentionally reveals Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa and Andy Garcia as new additions to the cast. Statham is top billed.

Sly confirms that EX4 is indeed a spin-off centered around Statham's character and his own role is one of a supporting character.

The movie's title is revealed by the production assistant to be "The Expendables 4: A Christmas Story"...

EX4: A CHRISTMAS STORY.....COMING SOON

The Expendables 4: A Christmas Story

As more folks are being hired for the new Expendables movie, they’re posting their excitement and stories on Instagram. After we got a couple of scoops from the new stunt coordinator of the movie, the new production assistant has posted his story. What is interesting to note from his post is the movie’s title. According to him the movie is called The Expendables 4: A Christmas Story. 

 

We know for sure that the new EX movie will follow Statham’s character and the story will be centered around him rather than Sly this time around. What was still unclear was whether the movie was going to be an EX4 or a Spin-off. Well, it’s a bit of both. So we are getting one movie, it’s a sequel with a spin-off kind of story. All that being said, the title could still change. But for now we’ll call the new Expendables movie EX4: A Christmas Story!

Is A Spinoff Better For Sly Than A Sequel?

The original Expendables arrived in 2010 and focused on a crew of mercenaries led by Stallone's Barney Ross. The movie was sold as a return to the old-school action movies of the 1980s, with a focus on practical action and stunts. It also united an impressive cast of genre icons, including such Expendables as Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The movie was a decent-sized hit and two sequels followed, which added even more legendary figures like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes and Harrison Ford. The Expendables 3 unwisely made a bid for younger viewers by toning down the bloodshed for a PG-13 rating. This backfired, however, with the sequel receiving the worst notices of the franchise, in addition to being the lowest-grossing. For years, talk of The Expendables 4 has cropped up, but the next entry is instead a spinoff focusing on Statham's Lee Christmas.

Despite being pitched as more of an ensemble, the first three Expendables have heavily focused on Stallone's Barney. In the last entry, for instance, it was his quest for revenge on former member Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) that drove much of the story, with Stallone shouldering an impressive amount of the action sequences. The actor is advancing in years, however, and it only makes sense to switch focus to Statham's Christmas. The friendship between the duo has been a big element of the series, and Jason Statham is still at the top of his game when it comes to action projects.

The Expendables: A Christmas Story may see Barney transition to more of a mentor role, rather than leading the titular team. In addition to dialing down the physical requirements of the role, Stallone has already proved with the Creed spinoffs that he can be the emotional backbone of a story without having to take center stage throughout. The star did some of the best work of his career with 2015's Creed, balancing both the iconic status of Rocky as a character while delivering an intensely moving turn as the aging ex-boxer.

The Expendables: A Christmas Story appears to be setting up a similiar situation with Barney. It's also a smarter move than The Expendables 4, as the series could use some retooling. There were far too many supporting characters in the third movie, which also moved in a cartoonish direction. This spinoff could focus on the elements that work while positioning Statham as the new leader. A more character-driven, smaller-scale story could be just what the property needs for a clean start.

Source: Screenrant

The Upcoming EX Movie Recap

A lot has been going on already since the “official” announcement of the next Expendables movie so we thought to recap before more news flows in:

Story: the movie is not an actual sequel reprising from where we left but centered around Statham’s character with a brand new direction. We should discover his new love interest who is also a female Expendable. He’ll be surrounded by Asian characters either part of the good guys team or villains. We’ll see many more new characters, even the CIA contacts will be different. The original Expendable team (Lundgren, Couture, Snipes) will be around but not sure in what capacity. And finally Sly’s character Barney will be in the story but in the background throughout the movie with fewer scenes. Lee Christmas (Statham) is the main leading character this time. The story seems to project the same type of flavor than the last “XXX” movie, while hoping to build on Statham’s latest success from Hobbs & Shaw. 

Cast: 

(Almost) Confirmed - Jason Statham, Sly Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Megan Fox, Andy Garcia, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, Randy Couture, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas

Possible - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kurt Russel, Jet Li

The Upcoming EX Movie Is A Spin-Off

After we got a (semi) confirmation of the cast of the upcoming EX movie leading to speculate a spin-off direction rather than a direct EX4 sequel, Sly himself just confirmed on his Instagram account that the movie going into production in October is indeed the spin-off movie called “Christmas Story” for now. Here we have it…

 

Sly says Arnold is not in EX4

Early Look At The EX4 Cast

In an Instagram post from EX4’s stunt coordinator a picture on the wall seems to display the preliminary cast of EX4, and Buster Reeves also confirms back to a fan that not all members are shown here but some.

Speculating based on this picture it’s safe to say that the movie is taking the Christmas spin-off direction with Statham being top billed. Plus Megan Fox is also present most likely playing Gina. And it’s not surprising to see her as she recently played in a few DTV movies for the producers involved in this franchise. It’s interesting to see 50 Cent here who was originally Sly’s preferred actor instead of Crews for the very 1st movie. Tony Jaa speculatively attached to the movie is also present, one more reason to affirm the spin-off direction.

Finally the 5th photo is Andy Garcia’s, a totally unexpected and interesting choice! The CIA agent?

The Expendables 4: How To Get It Right

By Tom Jolliffe from Flickering Myth

Eleven years on from the first film, the time seems nigh for the fourth instalment in a somewhat unexpected franchise. The faded appeal of a collection of action icons from the 1980s was the starting point in the first instance, that struck a nostalgic chord with predominantly men of a certain age. The bulk of said fan base hasn’t really changed much in the last decade either – we’re all just a bit older and pudgier. Still, despite a drop in takings for the third film, it made enough around the world (notably China) to keep the idea of a fourth one on the table.

Sylvester Stallone’s gravitas and standing in the genre was key in magnetising this collection of occasionally interchanging action men into the films. It was his brainchild and he was the only one who could pull it off. There’s no escaping the fact that the first three films have been a decidedly inconsistent. Some parts are good, some not so good. The second instalment, laced with a little more winking irony and the most coherent final cut, remains the best, even if it borders on spoof at times. The moment Chuck Norris walked onto screen, with his own ‘facts’ referenced on screen, was the moment you knew that they were rolling with the silliness of the whole concept. Some fans liked that approach. Others wanted something better. They wanted something more concerned with making a piece of film and not merely an open stage for simple nostalgic retreat.

It’s been seven years now since the last one, which was overstuffed with cast, and had the misguided idea that the male fans over 25 actually wanted their old guard heroes to be fazed out in place of young blood like Kellan Lutz. This, we did not. Almost every summer we get the grapevine aflutter with news that the film is going to shoot in the winter. It’s usually Randy Couture who starts the talk, but this time Stallone (as well as Couture) has made the suggestion and it would seem like a very strong likelihood that we’re finally going to see this going into production. A rethink in the last few years has of course been understandable. The disappointing returns of the last instalment would have stung, but additionally there has been noted friction between Stallone and Millennium head honcho Avi Lerner. At one time it looked like they’d parted ways. There was also much publicised beef between cast member Terry Crews and Millennium. It would seem most certain that he won’t be a part of the next one.

Does the world need or want a new instalment? The fan base remains. The franchise carries with it the lingering sense of unfinished business. Not so much of story arcs of any kind, but mostly due to the fact that we all wanted a much better film. We wanted something that was worthy of standing alongside our iconic era classics like Predator, Commando, First Blood, Lethal Weapon etc. We wanted something genuinely old school and with strong, clear, concise direction. We haven’t had it yet. We’ve had messily constructed films (with a consistent theme of last minute rewrites, and difficult post productions hampered by differing creative visions). The films have crammed together massive casts, but have been unable to suitably disperse adequate screen time, or effective character development. Villains have been underused (disappointingly given Eric Roberts, JCVD and Mel Gibson respectively stole the first three movies at a canter). The opening film did seem to have an enjoyable chemistry between Jason Statham and Sly Stallone, which was lost in the second and third where Statham became more of a background player (in part due to scheduling).

What we have right now is an ample opportunity for something like this. Streaming is becoming a bigger market than ever, and there’s a sense that the idea of synchronised releasing with cinema and PPV could be a viable way to move into a post-COVID landscape. There should also be a willing audience in Asia who can bump up the worldwide theatrical takings for a new Expendables too. So how can they do it right? How can they finally make the right Expendables film?

Firstly, we need stakes. The clue is in the title. Thus far though, these boys haven’t been very expendable. The current feeling is that the fourth film will be the one that closes the franchise. After all, Stallone is 75 now and it’s clear they have to re-evaluate their expectations on what this should make in takings. Word is that the returnees will be the Boss Man, Statham, Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Wesley Snipes, and Antonio Banderas. Undoubtedly there will be additions and other names thrown into the mix, but the roster should be keep smaller than the last film for certain. Our old heroes will definitely need some interesting villains too. Some of these guys will need to be killed off. It needs to matter and we need the blaze of glory aspect. This film needs to be The Wild Bunch, with 80’s action heroes. Sam Peckinpah’s iconic western featured an old guard of past it cowboys going down in a blaze of glory. It’s the route The Expendables 4 should go.

Here’s my big rug sweep suggestion. Kill off Barney Ross. Yep, I said it. Stallone goes out all guns blazing in an opening that sets up the rest, as the gang, being hunted by a connected villain, take the fight to the hunter. A year or so back, rumours of a Statham-centered spinoff did the rounds. It might make sense to forgo that in a spinoff and bring that idea into this final franchise instalment. Right now, Statham is the bankable star of the group. Since his last outing as Christmas, he’s been on something of a rise with hit films like Spy and The Meg whilst becoming a key cog in the Fast franchise, as well as the spinoff Hobbs and Shaw. Though Statham is now well over 50 himself, he still represents the baby of the group, maintaining plenty of speed and agility. The new leader of the group for the last hurrah.

I’ve long said it and I’ve said it prior to every sequel, but make these characters more interesting. Give Lundgren, Snipes et al, something to do beyond being background artists. Lundgren’s Gunner Jensen was one of the more interesting characters in the first film, but felt underused. He became more of a comedic side line in the second, which actually worked quite well, but lets give him some gravitas in the next one, whilst Wesley Snipes, on something of a comeback himself, needs the opportunity to show his acting chops and make his character more engaging.

Another important thing will be to lock in their script. Keep it simple, character focused and create an engaging world for this gang. Sly became notorious for last minute hand written changes on a morning of shooting, which would then have a bearing on the story going ahead. There comes a moment here too, where Stallone needs to step back, trust his writer and director and focus on his performance. The director, whether Patrick Hughes returns or someone else comes in, needs to be able to deliver a vision not hamstrung by Stallone and Lerner. Much of the last film’s incoherence came down to a distinct feeling it was a confused star and producer’s vision which Hughes tried his best to adhere to. There’s a great film in him and I rate Red Hill a lot. To bring some of that dusty, atmospheric modern Western tone back could be beneficial. Whoever helms needs space to do it and to deliver a hard R action film because it’s also time for Lerner to realise that there isn’t a younger audience interested in these films. Cater to your core demographic and deliver a decent action film.

Finally one of my biggest bugbears has always been too much reliance on CGI. There’s more than is necessary and belies the repeated declarations from the cast and producers that this is a proper old school franchise. Further, Millennium’s CGI is never up to par and ends up cheapening the films. Hope remains, albeit slim, that this will be the one which gets it right, that gives each cast member enough space to shine in a film that feels worthy of those the concept was born from. If not, there’s always John Wick: Chapter 4, another instalment in a franchise that got things very right. 

EX4 To Film Yet Again In Bulgaria?

According to new source... www.monitor.bg/bg/a/view/chakame-slaj-prez-oktomvri-275853

The long-awaited fourth installment of Sylvester Stallone's franchise, "The Expendables," will be filmed again in Bulgaria.

This was announced by The New Boyana CEO Yariv Lerner, announcing that we expect Sly to arrive in Sofia in October.

EX4 Possible Cast

Sly In A Supporting Role?

As we are gearing up for EX4 production to kick off soon, more news is coming out. Today the stunt coordinator of the movie posted a picture of the script’s cover. It’s interesting to note that the script’s author is now Max Adam and no longer Gregory Poirier who originally penciled the text in 2018.

What is even more interesting is that Max Adam was linked to a rumoured spin-off version of The Expendables titled “A Christmas Story”. The spin-off project was reported back in 2020 by a not so well known website with quite some details, and eventually taken up by other movie outlets. But the lack of follow up from Sly or any other stakeholder of the franchise led the news to be deemed as simply a piece of rumor and no one paid any more attention to it. 

Now thinking back, this website had got the name of the scriptwriter right which can’t be a coincidence since he’s not a famous or renown author. Why make up a story with a name like that and what are the chances that he actually ends up being the scriptwriter for EX4! I’m starting to believe that the story of a spin-off movie might have had some actual merit to it. 

It’s very possible that the producers at some point intended to make 2 separate movies, one sequel to the original film and one spin-off with Statham in the lead role  in which they close the chapter on Sly and the older crew. The sequel never took off for all the reasons we know by now (Sly’s disagreement with Avi, lack of interest from Sly who wanted to focus on more personal projects, etc); plus Sly was not getting any younger and Statham was getting more famous…the spin-off might have had become the main project ahead of an actual sequel. Then Covid hit and everything was put on hold.

Now that the project has been revived, we seem to be getting an EX4 but from the author of the “Christmas Story”. What happened to Poirier’s script? Couture did mention that the script from 2018 has made place for a new one. Well it sounds like we might be getting an EX4 that feels like a spin-off where Statham has the lead role and Sly takes the back seat. It wouldn’t be surprising given the low level of interest and involvement that Sly has shown towards this project until now. Plus he’s not any younger to play the lead in an all star action movie. The supporting roles in large productions suit him well now, Creed was the perfect proof. EX2 could be the old school action version of Creed 2 where Sly passes the baton to Statham and bows out with class. The article that first brought out the “spin-off” news did mention an emotional experience for Sly’s fans. This might be it. 

Whatever the direction the movie is taking we should find out soon. Until then, we’ll have fun speculating!

Russell in EX4?

In a tweet G. Poirier who initially wrote the EX4 script a couple of years ago says he wrote a part for Kurt Russell! 

For those who might still remember Poirier was the initial script writer of EX4 when the movie was supposed to be made back in 2018. His script was ready and waiting for production to kick off but that never happened. Couture also mentioned in one of his past interviews that he had read a script a couple of years ago but now producers have decided to go with a new one. 

Whether the new script or its  updated version was still penciled by Poirier remains to be seen. But if that is the case and the character that Poirier wrote finds its way into the movie then it’d be super exciting to see Russell in EX4 in a "Snake" like role. 

As much as I’d like to keep my hopes high, the chances of Russell accepting to be in EX4 are very low and producers might have already written off the character in the new version of the script. Let’s cross fingers…

EX4 Confirmed With A Reduced Cast Formula

After Sly teased the production of EX4 with his new ring, it was a matter of time before we heard from Couture. In an interview posted today, Couture confirms the shooting of EX4 in Europe starting in October and gives details about the cast. Sly, Statham, Lundgren, Banderas, Snipes and Couture are back. 

The EX2-3 formula of a larger than life cast is being dropped, and we're going back to the basics with a reduced cast of the Expendables, minus Li & Crews, plus Banderas & Snipes. Willis will not be back, that ship has sailed according to Randy. No mention of Arnold either. EX1 did have a more reduced cast than its sequels but still offered some amazing cameos from Willis, Arnold & Rourke; it sounds like we're not getting any of that! 

Couture doesn't go into the details of the villain, but let's hope that we get a strong one. Cameos could still happen as many of those decisions and negotiations happen right before or at the start of the production in movies like The Expendables. I have a feeling more news is going to start to flow soon...