Whether you loved it or hated it, The Expendables brought together all your favourite 80s action heroes (and Jason Statham).Considering the money it made and the instantly marketable plot (if you deem that film’s testosterone fueled action worthy of being called a plot), a sequel seemed inevitable. Sylvester Stallone directed and starred, and although he has long been confirmed to star again, he has handed over directing responsibilities to Simon West. Also returning are Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis.
Willis and Schwarzenegger only played cameos in the first movie, but it seems they will be playing more major roles in the sequel although Arnie may be tied up by The Last Stand. Also rumored to play starring roles (keyword: rumored) are John Travolta, Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Should the latter two make appearances, that would pretty much check off all the cheesy overly muscular action heroes of the 80s and 90s (excluding Steven Seagal and Rutger Hauer). Despite the names being passed around just being rumored, shooting is scheduled to start in September so there may be some truth in them, we’ll have to wait and see. [Novinite via Collider]
You can expect some pretty heavy advertising on this one given all the heavyweight stars, so if you’re not a fan of the franchise, I would suggest you find a rock to live under. The film is slated for release on August 17th 2012 and shall be shot in Bulgaria. Personally, I felt many people were harsh on the original. It was an enjoyable action romp as far as I’m concerned although a sequel seems slightly unneccessary. However, if the rumored casting comes to be a reality, this could be a treat for the eyes, although perhaps a little hard on the ears.
Were you a fan of The Expendables? What do you think of the casting rumors?