The Expendables 4, also known as Expend4bles, has been the least successful entry in the action thriller franchise known for starring iconic action stars, including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Dolph Lundgren. Starting from 2010, the franchise has released four movies so far and has also expanded into comic books and video games. However, despite the enthusiasm surrounding the film series, the latest installment faced both commercial and critical setbacks.
The film was heavily panned by critics for its plot, action sequences, visual effects and particularly due to the absence of the original cast. Talking about the movie in a recent interview, Dolph Lundgren, who plays Gunner Jensen in the franchise, revealed the real reason for its failure.
Dolph Lundgren On Why The Expendables 4 Failed
In a recent interview with Screen Rant, actor and martial artist, Dolph Lundgren, reflected on the reasons the fourth installment in The Expendables ended up being a major failure. Expressing his dissatisfaction with the film’s performance, Lundgren cited Sylvester Stallone’s absence as one of the key reasons contributing to its failure.
He shared that although he was able to identify the issues with its script, he could not “weigh in on” it. However, he suggested that Stallone would have kept such things in check. “I know Stallone wasn’t involved like he usually is,” he said, emphasizing that the Rocky star maintains a certain standard with a movie when he is involved.
“He just played a character in it, and when he’s in charge, the quality is going to be pretty good, it doesn’t drop below a certain level. But he wasn’t involved.”
The Oscar-nominated actor had been significantly involved in the production of the first three films in the franchise. In addition to his on-screen presence, he directed the first Expendables film and co-wrote the scripts for all the first three movies as well.
However, Sylvester Stallone reportedly disassociated himself from The Expendables 4 due to creative differences. Although he returned to the sequel, he had limited screen time in the movie. And the lack of the original stars was one of the many reasons the movie was heavily panned by critics.
Why Sylvester Stallone Was Not Significantly Involved in Expend4bles
Earlier reports suggested that Sylvester Stallone initially withdrew from The Expendables 4 due to his creative differences with Millennium Media chief Avi Lerner. These disagreements were reportedly on a new director, the script, and other “qualitative elements” related to the film.
It was also claimed that the Rambo star was concerned about the underwhelming response to the movie and was contemplating leaving the film. However, considering Lerner and Stallone’s dynamics, some sources claimed they would sort things out.
The Millennium Media chief also addressed these issues, saying, “We’ve got disagreements with Sly, but we’ve had them for over a year and a half.” Soon, Stallone also hinted at his return to the franchise. While Patrick Hughes was initially slated to direct the movie, Scott Waugh was announced as the film’s director in 2021.
Dolph Lundgren highlighted the issue with the decision in his recent interview as he shared, “The director was replaced, like, a month before shooting.” Waugh also received criticism for his direction, with The Expendables 4 being labeled a “huge waste” of some of the most talented Hollywood stars.