The Expendables 4 Is Somehow Real, Here’s The Trailer To Prove It
The first trailer for The Expendables 4 is here, with familiar faces and even some franchise newcomers like Megan Fox.
Lionsgate Movies dropped the trailer for The Expendables 4 today, and it looks like things are about to go nuclear. For a while we weren’t sure if we’d see this fourth installment of the Expendables franchise after the lackluster reception of The Expendables 3, but if the new trailer is any indication of what’s to come, it looks like this upcoming sequel will be a return to form for Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture. In addition to the tried and true Expendables cast, we will see 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, and Andy Garcia, among others get in on the action.
Boasting the tagline “it’s time for new blood,” it’s safe to say that the new additions to the cast in The Expendables 4 will guarantee an action-packed thrill ride by the likes of which we’ve never seen. Though 50 Cent looks like he’s ready to take on the world, we’re most excited about martial artists Tony Jaa (Tom Yum Goong) and Iko Uwais (The Raid: Redemption) joining the rankings.
At this point, we’re already familiar with Lee Christmas’ and Barney Ross’ respective knife and firearms expertise, but adding a healthy amount of expertly choreographed hand-to-hand combat sequences to the franchise will only elevate the action to a higher level.
In The Expendables 4 trailer, we’re pummeled with the prospect of World War III if terrorists make good on their threat to launch nuclear missiles that they have obtained. Christmas is greeted by Ross, who needs help with “a situation,” which is a very nice way of saying that something serious is about to go down. And we’re introduced to the ensemble cast with a musical backdrop that could only be described as an orchestral dub-step rendition of The Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Cant’ Stop.”
We even hear Sylvester Stallone‘s Barney Ross state in a voice-over that they chose this life over friends and family, which probably isn’t a knock at the Fast and Furious franchise, but in our minds we’d like to think that this was at the very least a friendly jab.
Originally slated for a 2022 release, The Expendables 4 wrapped production on December 3, 2021, but delayed its release to build anticipation. Financially speaking, this move made little sense considering how poorly received The Expendables 3 was by fans and critics alike. The most widely accepted theory behind why the third installment didn’t win over fans like its predecessors was because of its PG-13 rating, which meant that the action and violence had to be dialed down quite a bit with the intention of appealing to a broader audience.
Though the franchise suffered a damaged reputation with the release of its third installment, The Expendables 4 will return to the much-needed R-rated status needed for an action-packed epic.
The Expendables 4 will also mark Sylvester Stallone‘s last appearance in the franchise. It has been reported that if this upcoming installment meets and exceeds our expectations in a way that allows subsequent films to be produced, Jason Statham will take over the series after Stallone’s exit.
The Expendables 4 is slated for a September 2, 2023 release, and with the release of this trailer, fans of the franchise can finally say that the wait is over.
