Much has yet to be decided about who will star in Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes‘ upcoming third installment of the blockbuster Expendables franchise set to star returning action hero Sylvester Stallone, with exception of actors Mickey Rourke and Nicholas Cage, in addition to Wesley Snipes, Milla Jovivich and international superstar Jackie Chan who were last reported to be in “advanced talks”. Other rumored names were Antonio Banderas, Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim and Al Pacino. This week, things are moving one step forward with the latest update from The Hollywood Reporter that the Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment production now has an established release date set for August 15, 2014.
No word yet on what the synopsis will be for the film, or if any of the original actors from Expendables 1 and 2 will return. The least likely candidate is Jet Li who is appearing in Badges Of Fury this month, his third film with actor Wen Zhang. Li who just turned 50, recently announced going into retirement, openly stating he no longer felt the need to star in films for money. Other candidates in question includes Dolph Lundgren, who is slated to host his new action-based reality show, Race To The Scene this summer before flying to South Africa to film the new television series, Rescue One.
Lundgren also wrapped filming his scenes for the next Tony Jaa action adventure, A Man Will Rise, and he also served as co-executive producer on Cung Le’s next gritty martial arts action thriller from directors Giorgio Serafini and James Coyne titled, A Certain Justice. Jason Statham is still tapped to star in the next blockbuster follow up in the Fast/Furious franchise, Fast And Furious 7, directed by James Wan for Universal Pictures.
One other important factor into Jovovich’s presence in the film could be the much-hyped female take on the Expendables cast produced by Adi Shankar, whose previous credits also include Dredd 3D and the Punisher shortfilm, Dirty Laundry. Currently, MMA sensation and Fast 6 femme fatale Gina Carano, and Battlestar Galacta alumnus and Riddick co-star Katie Sackhoff are titled to the project. More updates on that I suppose.
It is also unconfirmed yet on whether or not Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Willis will return. Additionally, in relation to Schwarzenegger news, it has also been reported that he and Stallone are slated to appear in the newly re-set date for Swedish director Mikael Hafstrom‘s prison breakout action thriller, The Escape Plan (formerly titled The Tomb) for October 18, 2013 from its previous September date.
Just so you know, I am in between updates and other assignments for the blog, but in the coming months, I am planning on interviewing one of the stunt performers who worked on The Escape Plan. He also did some stunt work with Larnell Stovall on the upcoming Ernie Barbarash action thriller, Favela, with Michael Jai White an independent filmmaker who writes, edits, directs and coordinates his own action short films. Until then, I’m keeping that my little secret.
Stay tuned.