Lionsgate dropped footage from Expend4bles at its CinemaCon presentation this year and it appears that the upcoming film will be a bloody affair. After going the PG-13 route for the 2014 film, much to the dismay of series fans, the fourth movie will have an R-rating. Unfortunately, unlike other early footage from films showcased at CinemaCon, Lionsgate wasn’t willing to show off much of Expend4bles. As per the description, the footage showcased contained clips from previous installments with a handful of scenes from the new entry albeit with zero context. Stallone reportedly opens the movie saying, “This life, it’s not for everyone,” as franchise stats flash across the screen about how the team of mercenaries has spent more than half a million rounds of ammunition and stacked more than 7,000 dead bodies, before confirming that Sylvester Stallone will take a backseat role in Expend4bles.
— AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) April 28, 2022 It’s been a long time coming for Expend4bles to get here, and it most likely has to do with the latest outing. After 2012’s Expendables 2 was met with favorable reviews and a higher box office take, the third movie was seen as a step back. The combination of a lower haul, negative reviews, and the entire movie leaking online weeks before the official premiere all killed the momentum and put a stop to the planned TV show and the all-female movie spin-offs. As we found out last year, the fourth Expendables film will feature a cast of fresh faces. The only cast members confirmed returning so far are Jason Statham’s Lee Christmas, Dolph Lundgren’s Gunner Jensen, Randy Couture’s Toll Road, and Stallone’s Barney Ross. The rest, led by Megan Fox and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, are all new to the franchise. Speaking of Stallone, the action legend will reprise his role as Stakar in next year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In November, Stallone teased that his character will have a prominent role in James Gunn’s threequel as he donned the Starhawk costume.