Stallone Exits Expendables 4, What Does This Mean for the Franchise?

Sylvester Stalloneis now leaving theExpendablesfranchise he helped create, backing away from starring inExpendables 4, despite what would reportedly be the biggest payday of his career. Sources claim that the actor would take in a whopping $20 million for starring inExpendables 4, which we had reported in December would be the final sequel in this action-packed franchise. Still, producerAvi Lernerrevealed that he doesn’t thinkSylvester Stalloneis leaving quite yet, so there may still be hope for the actor’s return.

Deadlinereports thatSylvester Stalloneand producerAvi Lerner, whose Nu Image/Millennium company has produced and financed all of theExpendablesmovies, can’t find common ground on the script or who will take over as the new director. Another point of contention is the use ofAvi Lerner’s own VFX house, the Bulgaria-based Nu Boyana, withSylvester Stallonereportedly worried about the “underwhelming” results of this franchise. One of the site’s sources reveal thatSylvester StalloneandAvi Lerneroften disagree on many things, but these arguments normally get ironed out over “a couple of cigars,” although sources claim that may not happen this time. Despite this report,Avi Lernerrevealed in a statement that he doesn’t think the project is “dead” quite yet.

“We’ve got disagreements with Sly, but we’ve had them for over a year and a half. Right now, each one has opinion. We agreed on 95% of things, but there are certain things in production we don’t agree on. I don’t think it’s over, but write whatever you want. In my opinion, it’s not dead.”

Sylvester Stallonedirected the firstExpendables movieand co-wrote the script withDave Callaham, while starring asExpendablesleader Barney Ross. While he didn’t return to direct any of the sequels,Sylvester Stalloneco-wroteExpendables 2withRichard Wenk(The Equalizer), withSimon Westdirecting, and he also co-wroteExpendables 3withCreighton RothenbergerandKatrin Benedikt(Olympus Has Fallen), withPatrick Hughesdirecting. No director has been set forExpendables 4yet, and it isn’t known ifSylvester Stalloneco-wrote the script, or who he wrote it with.

The last we heard on this movie was it was set to be thefinal Expendables sequel, with German company Splendid Films picking up the German theatrical rights to the sequel in December, although it wasn’t revealed who was writing, directing or starring in the sequel at that time. The cast has featured a rotating group of action icons, includingJason Statham,Jet Li,Dolph Lundgren,Randy Couture,Terry Crews,Steve Austin,Arnold Schwarzenegger,Bruce Willis,Jean-Claude Van Damme,Mel Gibson,Wesley Snipes,Harrison FordandKelsey Grammer. It remains to be seen if any of these stars will be back forExpendables 4, provided it’s still happening withoutSylvester Stallone.

The Expendablesgot the franchise off to a good start, earning $103 million domestically and another $171.4 million overseas for a worldwide total of $274.4 million worldwide, from an $80 million budget.The Expendables 2followed just two years later, withArnold SchwarzeneggerandBruce Willisgetting larger roles after having extended cameos in the first, alongsideJean-Claude Van Dammeas the villain. The sequel dipped a bit domestically with $85 million, but earned more internationally with $229.9 million for a worldwide total of $314.9 million, from a $100 million budget. 2014’sThe Expendables 3, though, surprisingly earned much less, even though they decided to shift from anR-rated action-thrillerto PG-13 movie, to attract a wider audience, a strategy that obviously backfired.The Expendables 3earned a franchise low $39.3 million domestically and $175.3 million internationally for a worldwide total of $214.6 million. The fact that the movie was leaked online well in advance of its theatrical debut is also believed to have hurt its run at the box office. Hopefully we’ll have more updates on the future ofThe Expendables 4very soon.