The Untold Truth Of The Expendables
When it comes to big guns and big egos, there's nothing quite like "The Expendables" film series. This franchise selects the best of the best of the action genre and puts them on screen for over-the-top adventures and more explosions than a Michael Bay movie. The various installments have seen the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Mel Gibson, Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, and Jean-Claude Van Damme all share the screen.
Empire summed up the series best in its review of the 2010 film, writing, "'The Expendables' does what it says on the tin: it delivers a super-size portion of bone-cracking, bullet-spraying, muscle-flexing, head-exploding action, thankfully with the kind of tongue-in-cheek ironic distance." More importantly, it works, as the audience keeps coming back for more, proving the action star — the concept of "the action star," anyway — will never die.
While the road to every explosion is paved with good intentions, "The Expendables" has seen its fair share of drama behind the scenes. From JCVD kicking a costar to squabbling over $1 million between friends, there are plenty of stories behind the making of this franchise. So, let's flex those biceps — and brains — as we uncover the untold truth of "The Expendables."
The Expendables was originally meant to be a comedy
Despite the impression that action movies are all about the explosions, fights, and flexing muscles until veins look like they are about to burst, most of these testosterone-fueled flicks feature elements of comedy. Whether it's unintentional, such as Jean-Claude Van Damme punching out a snake in "Hard Target," or more direct like Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to smile in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," there are moments of levity to juxtapose all the intensity. Similarly, "The Expendables" franchise follows the same formula, but it could have been even more of a chuckle-fest than most might have anticipated.
Sylvester Stallone — who starred in, directed, and co-wrote the screenplay for the first film with David Callaham — spoke to NOLA.com about how much "The Expendables" changed from his initial plan. "This started out as a dark comedy; it started out as a satire," he said. "Then we thought, 'Let's make a really hard R' — then I go back. It constantly was being just brutally changed. It wasn't until a week before filming that I said, 'Let's just make it this kind of movie.'"
Yet, Stallone's comedic approach was also different from how Callaham envisioned the story. After Callaham wrote "Doom," he pitched the idea for a war movie to the studio. He wrote the script, but it sat on the shelf for years before Stallone took an interest in the concept, rewrote it, and eventually turned it into "The Expendables."
Arnold Schwarzenegger said he did The Expendables as a favor
In the '80s and early '90s, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were the hottest action stars in the world. All the biggest parts would either go to Arnie or Sly as they competed for blockbuster success while trying to become the genre's G.O.A.T. The two superstars have spoken frankly about their heated rivalry, but as time has gone on, they have become friends and combined their powers to co-star in films such as "The Expendables."
Schwarzenegger plays Trent "Trench" Mauser in the first three movies in the series, but he confirmed to Parade that he wouldn't return for "The Expendables 4," aka "Expend4bles." For the actor, he believed there was no reason to reprise the part and it had simply run its course. He also disclosed why he took the role in the first place. "I did it as a favor to Sly," he said. "I shot [the cameo for the first film] on a Saturday for two hours quickly in a church with Bruce Willis."
He added how Stallone called him back for the next two installments and they made it work. Despite not returning for another "Expendables," he said he would still like to work with his former nemesis again.
Dolph Lundgren wanted to knock out Stallone for real
The history of Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone goes all the way back to 1985's "Rocky IV." Stallone's Rocky Balboa went toe-to-toe with Lundgren's Ivan Drago in one of the Italian Stallion's toughest contests. While filming their bout, Stallone told Lundgren to connect with several punches to make it feel more real and authentic. In the end, Lundgren did as he was told, but he also put Stallone in ICU for nine days.
There didn't appear to be any hard feelings or bad blood over it, as the two worked together again on "The Expendables." However, there was one day in which Stallone harshly criticized Lundgren's performance as Gunner Jensen in front of everyone on set, and the actor wasn't too pleased about it.
Speaking on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Lundgren said, "We took a lunch break and I remember I was kind of in tears. I was really upset. I called my wife at the time and I basically just told her, 'If he says one more word, I'm gonna knock him out and f*** this movie, I'm outta here. I'm just gonna punch him out and f***ing leave.'" The actor explained how he came back on set and Stallone apologized to him, diffusing the situation. Lundgren chalked up the incident to the type of ugly disputes that families have all the time and insists that they are still friends.
The real reason Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal turned down the first movie
In many ways, "The Expendables" is the "Avengers" of action films. It pairs together Earth's mightiest on-screen heroes in one place at one time to the delight of fans across the world. When the first movie arrived, there was rapturous celebration because of all the big guns on display, but there were a couple of questions raised — specifically about the high-profile names missing from the final cast. Two of the most noticeable absentees were the Muscles from Brussels and the Man with the Ponytail of Steel: Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal.
Discussing the absence of both stars with The Times, Sylvester Stallone revealed they were approached for parts but turned down the movie. "I wanted to set Jean-Claude against Jet Li, but he didn't want to lose to Jet," he said. "He didn't think that was cool. But that's why it would be cool; to have Jean-Claude beaten by the other man. Hey, they could have a rematch. But Steven Seagal and Van Damme, they weren't really into our gallows humor."
Van Damme would eventually do a U-turn and appear in "The Expendables 2," where he plays the knife loving Vilain and has a memorable fight against Stallone's Barney Ross.
The third movie almost drowned Jason Statham
Jason Statham's Lee Christmas is in the thick of the action in "The Expendables." He is never too far from danger and there are a few moments in the series when fans have feared the worst for him. However, he always comes out on top in the end.
For the actor, though, there was an accident during the production of "The Expendables 3" that shook him up. During rehearsals near the pier of the Black Sea in Bulgaria, Statham drove a truck that formed a central part of the action sequence. When he hit the brakes, the heavy truck didn't stop and veered off the pier into the water. Statham managed to free himself and swim out of the window to get back up to the surface and safety. Speaking about the accident to The Red Bulletin (via Evening Standard), the actor said, "It's a real recalibration of everything. From that day on, I've been so appreciative of life and being able to walk on the ground. I think we all need [an experience] like that; one that puts things in perspective."
Ultimately, it was Statham's history and experience as a diver and swimmer that helped him escape this disaster.
Sylvester Stallone also had a near-miss incident on set
Filming action movies isn't for the faint of heart. Even though there are stunt coordinators and action choreographers on set, it's all too easy for a stray foot or punch to dislodge a tooth or clear the sinuses. Action stars understand this is part and parcel of the gig; however, they don't go onto any production expecting to have their leg blown away — which is almost what happened to Sylvester Stallone.
While chatting with The Hollywood Reporter, Stallone explained how he doesn't believe there's a need for blank guns on set anymore, especially taking into account everything that CGI can do nowadays. He disclosed how he has had several close shaves in the past and elaborated on one specific incident. "I've had near-misses," he said. "I've never said this before, but I had a pistol literally go off in my holster in 'The Expendables' — bam, right down my leg." Stallone added how he has been fortunate enough to have not been injured by this or other events in the past.
None of this would even be a concern if all combat scenes were performed with pool noodles or water pistols.
Jack Nicholson was reportedly interested in The Expendables
There's no shortage of actors who would love to be a part of "The Expendables" universe. While the movies have done a good job of blending old-school and modern action stars, there are still a plethora of performers who would be great fits for the franchise (see: Michael Dudikoff of "American Ninja" fame). And as long as the movies keep on rolling, there's always a chance they could appear in some capacity down the line.
During an on-set press tour of "The Expendables 3," Sylvester Stallone was asked if anyone had reached out to legendary actor Clint Eastwood. "Well, you know Clint is so involved with what he's doing, so that's kind of a pipe dream," Stallone told Collider, before revealing another surprising Hollywood icon who had shown interest in the franchise. "I was going to go up to Jack Nicholson and we just got there a little too late cause actually he had said he might be interested in it, so there are still interesting avenues out there."
Why stop at Nicholson, though? Surely, the filmmakers can find room for other greats like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, too. After all, even Martin Scorsese cannot dispute that "The Expendables" is C-I-N-E-M-A. (Well, he can if he wants to, but he hasn't yet, as far as we know.)
The mouth-watering amount that led to the feud between Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis
Sometimes, behind-the-scenes stories about movies are more interesting than what takes place on screen. In the case of "The Expendables 3," Sylvester Stallone peeled back the curtain to let fans see what was taking place behind the camera. Taking to Twitter, he posted: "WILLIS OUT... HARRISON FORD IN !!!! GREAT NEWS !!!!! Been waiting years for this!!!!" However, this wasn't the only thing he had to say on the matter, as he posted the following moments after: "GREEDY AND LAZY . . . A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE."
Stallone's social media posts got tongues wagging and hinted at a feud between him and Bruce Willis, who had portrayed Church in the previous films. According to sources who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, Willis was offered $3 million to shoot for four days on "The Expendables 3," but he reportedly asked for $4 million. His demands were shot down and led to his departure from the film.
A year after his initial comments, Stallone once again took to Twitter to tell his followers that he had made amends with Willis, and all was good between them.
Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture couldn't fit in the tank
Hollywood has the ability to make actors look larger than life. Through clever camera angles and lens wizardry, it's possible to make anyone look like a muscular giant on screen. In the case of Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture, though, there's no need for any of that, because they are both insanely jacked guys in their own right.
In fact, Couture even recounted how their size prevented them from climbing into a tank for a scene in "The Expendables 3." Speaking to That Shelf, the former MMA fighter revealed there was an actual tank on set, though neither of them could get into it or drive it.
"I tried to get down in the hatch and I could get down maybe to my shoulders," he said. "I tried to get my shoulders to squeeze in enough to get down in there, but driving and actually shooting from a real firing position was something that I honestly don't think I could ever do. And I guarantee you can't get Dolph in that thing." In hindsight, maybe it's for the best that two actors — and most other people, for that matter — aren't riding around in a real tank.
Jean-Claude Van Damme kicked Liam Hemsworth in the chest
In "The Expendables 2," Liam Hemsworth received the opportunity to star alongside numerous action legends, as he portrayed Billy "The Kid" Timmons in the film. Hemsworth's big moment comes in a tense sequence featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme's Vilain. In the physical scene, Billy's hands are tied behind his back when Vilain kicks a knife into Billy's chest, ending the character's stint as one of The Expendables.
Appearing on "The Graham Norton Show," Hemsworth discussed working with Van Damme and revealed the actor actually hurt him with a kick in the filming for that scene. "We did a bunch of takes, and on this particular take, he gave me a full Van Damme kick to the chest and I dropped to my knees," he said. "Everyone called 'cut' and the first A.D. came over and was like, 'You okay?' and I'm like, 'Yip, yip, no, I'm good.' And I'm not going to show any pain to Van Damme."
Hemsworth said Van Damme's reaction was to say it was "a controlled kick," but Hemsworth disputed it since he was on the receiving end of the impact. Nonetheless, he said it was an "honor" to be kicked by Van Damme.
Mel Gibson was allowed to write his own lines for The Expendables 3
Mel Gibson joining "The Expendables 3" was quite the coup for the production, especially since he played the dastardly villain. In the film, Gibson portrays Conrad Stonebanks, a co-founder of The Expendables who left the group to embark on a life of crime as an arms dealer. Naturally, the clash between Stonebanks and Barney Ross is heated and deeply personal, giving an extra edge to the action-packed story.
According to Sylvester Stallone and Gibson, they formed a collaborative process on the production and Gibson was given creative freedom to fill in his character's backstory in a pivotal scene from the film. Stallone explained how he jotted down the basics of what he wanted to achieve from a narrative perspective, but Gibson did the rest.
"I worked on the script a little bit at night, then I came in and handed the pages to Sly and [director] Patrick Hughes, and they said, 'Yeah, that's cool," Gibson told The State Journal-Register. "It was a theme of somebody who's subcontracted by his government, and then thrown under the bus."
Jackie Chan turned down the film series multiple times
Without a shadow of a doubt, Jackie Chan is one of the greatest movie stars of all time. His work in Hong Kong action cinema is the stuff of legend as he redefined what is possible in martial arts films through sensational and innovative stunt work. Expectedly, many fans held onto a glimmer of hope that he would bring his inimitable style to "The Expendables," adding yet another gold standard to this franchise.
In 2014, Chan chatted to Den of Geek and discussed the several overtures made to get him to join the franchise, including for "The Expendables 4," but he had turned down the opportunities for a specific reason. "Well, I didn't refuse, but I said, 'Sly, can't we just do you and me? Not just a bunch of people and me only coming out for five minutes,'" he said. "Because then the audience is, 'Oh!' And then I'm gone.'"
Ironically, Chan nearly got his wish of a team-up spectacle with Sly, as both he and Stallone were confirmed for the film "Hidden Strike"; however, Stallone pulled out of the project and was replaced by John Cena.