“The Expendables 4” is set to hit theaters in September, bringing back an action-packed ensemble cast of stars. However, one notable absence from the lineup is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appeared in the first three movies of the franchise. In a recent interview with Parade, Schwarzenegger shed light on his decision to sit out the upcoming installment, expressing his desire to avoid repeating the same character arc.
According to the Terminator star, he personally informed Sylvester Stallone, the driving force behind the franchise, about his lack of interest in returning for “The Expendables 4.” Schwarzenegger felt that reprising his role would entail repeating what he had already done in the previous films. While he considered the original trilogy a favor to Stallone, he revealed that he has moved on from the series. Nevertheless, he hinted at future collaborations with Stallone on other projects.
Schwarzenegger stated, “It’s done and I’m not in it. I said, ‘You know what, we have done this, and I’m out of it.’ And [Stallone] really understood. I did [the first Expendables] as a favor to Sly. I shot it on a Saturday for two hours quickly in a church with Bruce Willis. Sly said, ‘Oh, can you do Expendables 2?’ and I did that for a weekend. Then it was expanded for Expendables 3. And that was it. We’re going to do something together one day.”
Stallone had previously hinted that “The Expendables 4” would deviate from the traditional formula, serving more as a spinoff focused primarily on Jason Statham’s character, Lee Christmas. In fact, Stallone mentioned that Statham’s role would account for about 80% of the movie. However, several other original cast members, including Stallone himself, Randy Couture, and Dolph Lundgren, will also make a return. Joining the franchise for the first time are Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, and Andy Garcia.
Randy Couture, speaking about the cast lineup, stated, “Obviously there’s only four old Expendables characters left, and that’s me and Dolph [Lundgren] and [Jason] Statham and [Sylvester] Stallone. So we added a whole new influx of new people. 50 Cent, who I’ve worked with before and have a lot of respect for. Megan Fox, which was nice to meet somebody new. Andy Garcia, who I’ve been a big fan of forever and has done some amazing work in the film industry. So it was really fun to get to see him work and be around him.”
“The Expendables 4” features a screenplay penned by Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, and Max Adams, with Scott Waugh serving as the director. Fans can look forward to the release of the movie on September 22, 2023. While Schwarzenegger may not be part of this installment, he has left the door open for future collaborations with Stallone, promising more thrilling projects to come.
