The Expendables franchise’s future has now been confirmed following the poor performance of Expend4bles in 2023. Featuring Sylvester Stallone in the lead role, the star-studded action franchise began in 2010, but the reception to the latest film raised big questions about whether it would continue.
Two years later, Lionsgate has now announced that it has acquired the rights to the Expendables franchise from Millennium Media. This deal gives the studio, which distributed the four franchise films in North America and the UK, the rights to develop and produce all future films, TV shows, and video games in that universe.
The deal between Lionsgate and Millennium Media also includes the global distribution rights to the upcoming Rambo prequel movie, John Rambo. Noah Centineo is currently in final negotiations to play the titular role previously played by Stallone. Lionsgate has also become the lead studio and production partner on all future Rambo movies.
Lionsgate COO Brian Goldsmith shared the following statement about the deal, expressing excitement regarding the future of both the Expendables and Rambo franchises:
“This deal expands Lionsgate’s portfolio of genre-defining action franchises and reinforces our commitment to delivering world-class IP across multiple platforms. We’re excited to reimagine both The Expendables and Rambo across film and television—and with John Rambo, we’re bringing together a bold creative team to reinvent a classic character for a new generation of fans.”
Millennium Media President Jonathan Yunger also shared a statement, praising Lionsgate as a strong partner moving forward when it comes to these two properties:
“We’ve always believed in the enduring power of these franchises, and this partnership gives them the scale, creative support and global reach they deserve. Lionsgate’s strong track record with major action properties makes it the ideal partner to help shape the next chapters of The Expendables and Rambo.”
The announcement includes the confirmation that Jalmari Helander (Sisu) will direct John Rambo, and that filming on that project will get underway next year in Thailand.
As for The Expendables franchise, the deal is a sign that this IP isn’t dead just yet. After the first three films found success commercially, with The Expendables 2 (2012) marking a franchise high at $314 million grossed worldwide, the fourth installment cratered with only $51 million. With an estimated $100 million budget, the film was a significant failure.
After anchoring all three of the previous movies, Stallone’s Barney Ross takes a back seat in The Expendables 4, which was intended to serve as a handoff to a younger generation of action stars, including Jason Statham and Megan Fox. A 14% Rotten Tomatoes score coupled with the box office suggests the film was widely rejected by audiences.
The major question facing future movies is whether they will bring back actors like Stallone, Statham, Fox, 50 Cent, Dolph Lundgren, and Iko Uwais, among others, or if they will wipe the slate clean with a new roster of stars. Given the response to Expend4bles, the latter might be more likely, but Statham remains a bankable star, finding success with films like The Meg (2018) and The Beekeeper (2024).
Instead of jumping back onto the big screen, it’s certainly possible that the franchise takes a stab at the small screen first, which would be an interesting test of the IP’s appeal across mediums. It remains to be seen what the future holds for The Expendables, but the franchise, just like Stallone’s Barney Ross, is evidently hard to kill.
- Cast
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Jason Statham, Curtis Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, Andy Garcia, Sylvester Stallone, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes
- Movie(s)
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The Expendables, The Expendables 2, The Expendables 3, Expend4bles, Expendables 5
- Character(s)
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Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Gunner Jensen, Trent Mauser, Yin Yang, Hale Caesar, Booker, Maggie (The Expendables)