It’ll follow Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to get the boxing classic made.
Stallone himself isn’t involved in the movie at this point.
Since switching from being known as one half of comedy directing duo the Farrelly brothers to making worthier, based-on-truth Oscar-baity type films such as ‘Green Book’ (which did indeed pick up the Oscar) and ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ (which, er… did not), Peter Farrelly has only once ventured back towards his old stomping grounds with this year’s Prime Video comedy title ‘Ricky Stanicky’.
He’s veering back to the grounded world for his next film, agreeing to direct ‘I Play Rocky’, which will chronicle Sylvester Stallone’s struggles in convincing someone to make his iconic boxing movie.
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What’s the story of ‘I Play Rocky’?
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers in ‘Rocky’. Photo: United Artists.
A struggling actor with a partially paralyzed face and a speech impediment writes a script that a big movie studio wants to buy, but he refuses to sell it unless he gets to play the lead.
Turning down an offer of life-changing money, he instead works for pennies to get the movie made with himself in the starring role.
The movie becomes the biggest box office hit of 1976, notching 10 Oscar nominations and winning Best Picture. The true story of the making of the iconic movie ‘Rocky’.
‘Office Uprising’ writer Peter Gamble is at work on the script, but there’s no indication yet as to whether Stallone himself will be involved.
Toby Emmerich the former Warner Bros. Motion Picture chief, is one of the main producers and had this to say:
“I’ve been a fan of Peter Farrelly as both a filmmaker and a person since getting to work with him on the music for Dumb and Dumber. But it was ‘Green Book’ that made me think of Pete for this inspiring screenplay. Christian Baha and I feel blessed to have Pete at the helm for this movie. And like the unknown Stallone starring in ‘Rocky’, Pete will be conducting a worldwide search to discover another actor who just needs one shot — in ‘I Play Rocky’ — to show the world what he can do.”
“When I first read Peter Gamble’s energetic and poignant script, I knew it captured something very special. The story of ‘I Play Rocky’ is as unique as Sylvester Stallone himself, a seeming everyman with an undeniable gift who needs to share it with the world and refuses to take “no” for an answer. And like the hero of our film, Baha Productions needed grit and determination as we fought for years to make this project into a reality. We are so fortunate to have teamed up with Toby Emmerich and Peter Farrelly, two legendary talents who not only share but enhance our vision of the film.”
When will ‘I Play Rocky’ be in theaters?
There is no release date set for the movie at this time. The rights to distribute it are being sold at this year’s Cannes market.
Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky’. Photo: United Artists.
Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Perbernal.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dolph Lundgren about his work on ‘Wanted Man,’ developing the screenplay, the themes he wanted to explore, his character’s arc, working with Christina Villa, casting old friends Kelsey Grammer and Michael Paré, why he likes directing, collaborating with his crew, and how his years of experience helped him shoot the action sequences.
Lundgren also discussed the long rumored ‘Rocky’ and ‘Creed’ spinoff movie, ‘Drago,’ if it’s still in development, and why it’s important to have Sylvester Stallone involved with the project.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
(L to R) Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the screenplay and as a director, what were the themes that you were excited to explore with this movie?
Dolph Lundgren: I started developing the idea of this was about 15 years ago and other things came up. It was kind of loosely based on this (Clint) Eastwood movie called ‘The Gauntlet,’ where he goes and has an interstate transfer of a prisoner. I changed that to Mexico and then a couple of years back, the original writer and I started talking about making it about immigration because it’s a hot topic. Then I decided maybe I should make this character somebody who is a bit bitter and angry at the world and got something to learn. So, by ending up in Mexico, he ends up going through this physical journey and trial, but also an emotional challenge to his beliefs system. So those are the themes I wanted to touch upon.
MF: Can you talk about Travis’ personal views on society, how those ideas are challenged during the movie and how he ultimately changes as a character?
DL: At the top of the film, this guy, obviously he’s an old timer. He’s in law enforcement. He’s bitter at the world. He’s got these friends who reinforce those ideas in him. I don’t think he’s really a bad guy. He’s in a bad spot in his life, especially at the beginning of the movie, where he has a run in with an illegal alien and his policing methods aren’t the greatest. He’s a bit old-fashioned and he ends up getting in trouble with the press and with the mayor’s office, and to save his career they send him down to bring these two prisoners back and they’re really witnesses in a murder investigation of two federal agents. So, when he gets to Mexico, things are way more complicated than he thought, and nothing goes as planned. Then, by meeting various people who help him, he ends up changing his mind about a lot of things. I would say he comes back a changed man.
MF: What was it like for you as an actor to get to play an arc like that?
DL: It was interesting. When I started working on the character, he kind of reminded me of my dad. My dad was an intelligent man, but he was set in his ways, and he had a lot of anger and frustration and he never really got to turn the corner. He got a little more enlightened when he got older as people do, but not really. So, I sort of played a little bit of my dad in the beginning and I thought it was fun. It was satisfying to get to play an arc. It’s always what you look for as an actor because it gives you something to do that is a little more challenging than just playing the moment. So, I enjoyed it.
(L to R) Daniela Soto-Brenner as “Leticia” and Christina Villa as “Rosa” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
MF: Can you talk about the friendship Travis forms with Rosa and working on that relationship with Christina Villa?
DL: So, one of the witnesses is this woman named Rosa who’s a Mexican prostitute. She had to do that to survive in the states and then she’s been a witness of these murders. My character first doesn’t like her. She doesn’t like me at all. We were not the greatest of friends, but slowly we get to know each other, and it was a challenging character to find somebody to play. I wanted somebody who was Hispanic and had some experience about that and she did, and I thought she was great. I had a lot of Hispanic actors (on the set) and they were always good to ask because they would come up and say, “Well, maybe we should change this to that because this is the way we say it or this is how we feel.” I would always say, “Yeah, fine. You guys know,” and she did that. She came with some good suggestions.
MF: Can you talk about casting veteran actors Kelsey Grammer and Michael Paré?
DL: I enjoyed working with them. I know Kelsey from ‘The Expendables 3’ and then socially I’ve spent some time with him, and we always try to do something together. I thought it would be an interesting choice because he’s not what you expect. Michael Paré, I worked with him about 15 years ago, and he was always such a great guy. He’s such a good worker and stand-up guy, and I thought he’d be good. I enjoyed working with them.
Kelsey Grammer as “Brynner” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to directing this movie, and what do you like about directing?
DL: What I do like is for these smaller movies that I feel like I have a lot of experience that I can bring to the table. Maybe more than a lot of directors that I could afford to hire. So, I feel like it’s easy to keep it all in-house. If I write, direct and even star or co-star, then I know nobody’s going to mess with the picture or do something that’s going to hurt it. I think my approach is to prepare quite well and speak to all the actors about a month ahead of time about their backstories, the characters and the relationships so that when we show up on set and I don’t have to say that much. It just comes alive in the moment. Then I try to be very quick as a director. I don’t like doing too many takes and trying to get seven different variations. If something works, in my experience, it works. Usually, you’re not going to get anything that’s more than 10% better, even if you keep shooting another twenty takes. So, I try to keep it moving forward very quickly, and I try to get the first shot off very quickly in the morning. I learned that from an old-timer, and he was funny. He would just go up to the DP and say, “Okay, you see that plane landing, shoot that.” So, everybody in the crew hears “Rolling,” like after 20 minutes. So, they’re like, “Oh, we’re working already. I don’t do that all the time, but he always said, “You got to get the first shot off within an hour, otherwise everything grinds to a halt.” So now that’s kind of my approach to it.
MF: Can you talk about working with your crew both during production and post-production?
DL: I had a problem on this picture because we had some issues in New Mexico with the crew. It was right after Covid and Netflix was in Albuquerque hiring a bunch of people, so we had difficulties putting it together. I had problems with the financing towards the end, so I didn’t have sufficient time to storyboard as much as I wanted. I did that on my last picture. Next time I’m going to storyboard. I like storyboarding a lot. I think it’s helpful and it gives you a chance to think about it visually before you’re on set and you’re going crazy because you must get the shot off and there’s a lot of other things happening. I enjoy working with the DP. I enjoy storyboarding and post-production is very important, obviously, the editing and the post-production, especially when you’re on a short schedule. So, you must cut corners when you’re shooting, and you may have to make up for it in editing or in the way you work with picture quality or sound later. So, all of those are fun. I enjoy all of it really.
(L to R) Aaron McPherson as “Hilts,” Kelsey Grammer as “Brynner” and Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
MF: Did your decades of experience making action movies come in handy when you were creating and shooting the action sequences for ’Wanted Man’?
DL: It does come in handy, and I’ve done a lot of action with various directors and different stunt coordinators. I have my way to shoot it so I can try to get as many cuts as possible in the shortest amount of time possible since when you edit, you just need more angles to build an action scene, usually you need a lot of angles. It’s a function of the number of cuts, how good it’s going to be usually. So, I think my experience comes in handy. Also speaking to the actors and talking to the stunt guys. I mean, I have a lot of respect for stunt people and always listen to them and safety is first. But I think there is a way not to waste time doing action, which I’ve been in movies where they waste a lot of time shooting stuff that I know we were not going to use.
MF: Finally, can you give an update on the long rumored ‘Drago’ movie? Is that project still happening and are you still involved in it?
DL: I was involved in it. It was in the works for a while. I think what happened was there was some corporates changes. MGM got a new president and new ownership, and things were sidelined for a while. Then ‘Creed III’ came out and did very well. So, ‘Creed IV,’ they started planning that. They’re trying to figure out where to put Drago in the franchise. Where does he fit in? Probably between ‘III’ and ‘IV.’ So, it’s still on the works. I think it would be a great project and it would be something fun to work with (Sylvester) Stallone on because he created those characters and he’s very smart about it. So hopefully it’ll get made at some point before I’m too old.
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What is the plot of ‘Wanted Man’?
Travis Johansen (Lundgren) is an aging detective, whose outdated policing methods have given the department a recent public relations problem. To save his job, he is sent to Mexico to extradite a female witness (Christina Villa) to the murders of two DEA agents. Once there, he finds not only his old opinions challenged, but that bad hombres on both sides of the border are now gunning for him and his witness.
(L to R) Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” and Christina Villa as “Rosa” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
(L to R) Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as “Easy Day”, Megan Fox as “Gina”, Dolph Lundgren as “Gunner Jensen,” Jacob Scipio as “Galan” Andy Garcia as “Marsh” in ‘Expend4bles.’ Copyright: EX4 Productions, Inc. 2022.
Action stars Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone return for ‘Expend4bles’, and they’ve brought the team along for the ride. The film promises to be bigger and more explosive than before, return to its R-rating, and introduce a cast of new characters to the franchise.
Where Can I Watch ‘Expend4bles’?
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
‘Expend4bles’ was released domestically on September 22, 2023. Prior to the movie’s release, standee posters for the film were revealed at CinemaCon in 2022, where attendees were treated to an exclusive viewing of the teaser trailer during Lionsgate’s presentation.
Currently, the movie can be found showing in some theaters, but it has already made its way to VOD. Available to rent for $19.99 or purchase for $24.99 on mainstream services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Pay, YouTube, Vudu, and Microsoft.
For those waiting on a home release, the movie will be released on UHD, Blu-Ray, and DVD on December 26, just barely missing the holidays. ‘Expend4bles’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Lionsgate, the studio behind the action franchise, recently signed a deal with Peacock and Roku to stream the films once it is finished with its theatrical run. However, there are no confirmed dates announced for when ‘Expend4bles’ will stream on Peacock or Roku.
Viewers can also look to Starz once the movie is available for streaming.
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The Newcomers
(L to R) Megan Fox, Andy García, and Jacob Scipio in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Almost 10 years since the third ‘Expendables,’ the fourth installment is Stallon’s final bow in the franchise as he passes the torch on to Jason Statham. As Barney’s past catches up with him, it is up to Christmas and new team members to carry out the team’s mission. Fox and Statham share the screen with witty banter and have nice chemistry, further exploring the character of Christmas.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘Expend4bles.’
The first two films in the franchise were rated R for its gore and violence, which, given its premise and action scenes, made sense. However, the third film, ‘The Expendables 3,’ got a PG-13 rating in order to capture a wider audience. This meant the film was essentially bloodless. Fans of the series were unhappy with the PG-13 rating and spoke out via social media for future films to return to its R rating.
In the official red band trailer for ‘Expend4bles’, it opens with the title card, “We heard you loud and clear,” followed by fans’ comments asking for more blood and violence and to reinstate its R-rating. The video goes on to show endless action, accompanied by plenty of blood and gore, to satisfy the fans.
In an interview with Mandatory, Sylvester Stallone says he believes the PG-13 rating was a miscalculation.
“Absolutely unequivocally yes. I believe it was a horrible miscalculation on everyone’s part in trying to reach a wider audience, but in doing such, diminish the violence that the audience expects. I’m quite certain it won’t happen again.”
Watch the official red band trailer for ‘Expend4bles’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Expend4bles’ is below:
“A new generation of stars join the world’s top action stars for an adrenaline-fueled adventure in Expend4bles. Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Sylvester Stallone are joined for the first time by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.”
Who Is In The Cast of ‘Expend4bles’?
(L to R) Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Levy Tran, Jacob Scipio in ‘The Expendables 4.’
And though it sounds like the new project, ‘Levon’s Trade’, will share some distinct sensibilities (both feature the story of a man who left a life of violence behind for a quieter existence, only to be drawn back into taking out bad guys), Ayer will surely find some way for the new movie to be different.
What’s the story of ‘Levon’s Trade’?
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
The movie will chart how Levon Cade (Statham) left his past behind him to go ‘straight’ and work in construction. He wants to live a simple life and be a good father to his daughter.
But when his boss’s teenage daughter Jenny vanishes, he’s called upon to re-employ the skills that made him a legendary figure in the shadowy world of black ops. His hunt for the missing college student takes him deep into the heart of a sinister criminal conspiracy creating a chain reaction that will threaten his new way of life.
‘Levon’s Trade’ has its origins in a book by Chuck Dixon.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
‘Levon’s Trade’ has an even more famous name behind its script –– and it marks the other reunion for Statham. Sylvester Stallone, who guided and starred in ‘The Expendables’ franchise (which Statham now mostly leads) adapted the script from Dixon’s book.
It’s a title in which Stallone has showed interest before; the book is the first of eleven in the popular Levon Cade thriller series. Stallone’s Balboa Productions previously developed the project as a TV series.
Stallone has quite a history of screenwriting –– he was nominated for an Oscar for 1976’s ‘Rocky’ and most recently scripted ‘Rambo: Last Blood’.
Producer Bill Block, whose company BlockFilm is backing the new movie, had this to say about it:
“I am thrilled to be reuniting with some of my most talented and longstanding partners on ‘Levon’s Trade’. I first worked with David Ayer on ‘Fury’ and it was immediately clear that he is a director at the very top of his game. Jason and I have worked together on a number of films, and most recently the three of us collaborated on ‘The Beekeeper’. ‘Levon’s Trade’ is going to be another spectacular action movie and I’m confident we’ve assembled the dream team to bring the first novel in this celebrated series to the big screen.”
When will ‘Levon’s Trade’ be in theaters?
Given the fact that ‘Levon’s Trade’ hasn’t even started shooting yet (it’s aiming for a March start in London next year) and has its rights on sale at the AFM market this week, the movie does not yet have a release date.
‘The Beekeeper’, meanwhile, will be out on January 12th.
Director David Ayer on the set of Netflix’s ‘Bright.’ Photo: Matt Kennedy.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Sylvester Stallone is an actor, writer, director, producer, movie star, living legend and Hollywood icon.
Stallone first made a name for himself by writing and starring in 1976’s Oscar-winning ‘Rocky,” which shot him to super fame and he was cemented as a movie star after appearing in ‘First Blood‘ as John Rambo. Both films have spawned numerous sequels and spinoffs, including ‘Creed,’ for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Over the past 40 years Stallone has become one of Hollywood’s most reliable movie stars and has gone on to appear in such popular films as ‘Cobra,’ ‘Tango & Cash,’ ‘Cliffhanger,’ ‘Demolition Man,’ ‘Cop Land,’ and ‘The Expendables‘ franchise, the forth of which, ‘Expend4bles‘ opens in theaters on September 22nd.
In honor of Stallone’s new movie, which he has said will be his last appearance in the series, Moviefone is counting down the 35 best movies of Sylvester Stallone’s career, including his latest.
Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rambo: Last Blood.’ Photo: Lionsgate.
After fighting his demons for decades, John Rambo (Stallone) now lives in peace on his family ranch in Arizona, but his rest is interrupted when Gabriela (Yvette Monreal), the granddaughter of his housekeeper María (Adriana Barraza), disappears after crossing the border into Mexico to meet her biological father. Rambo, who has become a true father figure for Gabriela over the years, undertakes a desperate and dangerous journey to find her.
Carmen’s (Alexa Vega) caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Kids’ new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It’s up to Juni (Daryl Sabara) to save his sister, and ultimately the world.
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33. ‘Rambo: First Blood Part II’ (1985)
John Rambo (Stallone) is released from prison by the government for a top-secret covert mission to the last place on Earth he’d want to return – the jungles of Vietnam.
When governments fail to act on behalf of captive missionaries, ex-Green Beret John James Rambo (Stallone) sets aside his peaceful existence along the Salween River in a war-torn region of Thailand to take action. Although he’s still haunted by violent memories of his time as a U.S. soldier during the Vietnam War, Rambo can hardly turn his back on the aid workers who so desperately need his help.
Thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary (Javon “Wanna” Walton) suspects that his mysterious and reclusive neighbor Mr. Smith (Stallone) is actually a legend hiding in plain sight. Twenty years ago, Granite City’s super-powered vigilante, Samaritan, was reported dead after a fiery warehouse battle with his rival, Nemesis. Most believe Samaritan perished in the fire, but some in the city, like Sam, have hope that he is still alive. With crime on the rise and the city on the brink of chaos, Sam makes it his mission to coax his neighbor out of hiding to save the city from ruin.
His Wife (Talia Shire) is dead and his Son (Milo Ventimiglia) hates him but this old man still has fight in him! When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa (Stallone), reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) retaliates by challenging Rocky to a nationally televised, 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who’s faster, stronger, and thirty years his junior.
Barney Ross (Stallone) leads a band of highly skilled mercenaries including knife enthusiast Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), a martial arts expert Yin Yang (Jet Li), heavy weapons specialist Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), demolitionist Toll Road (Randy Couture), and a loose-cannon sniper Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren). When the group is commissioned by the mysterious Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) to assassinate the dictator of a small South American island, Barney and Lee visit the remote locale to scout out their opposition and discover the true nature of the conflict engulfing the city.
May Munro (Sharon Stone) is a woman obsessed with getting revenge on the people who murdered her parents when she was still a girl. She hires Ray Quick (Stallone), a retired explosives expert to kill her parent’s killers. When Ned Trent (James Woods), embittered ex-partner of Quick’s is assigned to protect one of Quick’s potential victims, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed II.’
Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight against an opponent with ties to his family’s past, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is up against the challenge of his life.
Combat has taken its toll on Rambo (Stallone), but he’s finally begun to find inner peace in a monastery. When Rambo’s friend and mentor Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna) asks for his help on a top secret mission to Afghanistan, Rambo declines but must reconsider when Trautman is captured.
Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the team comes face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill… or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables — but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables’ most personal battle yet.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Assassin Robert Rath (Stallone) arrives at a funeral to kill a prominent mobster, only to witness a rival hired gun (Antonio Banderas) complete the job for him — with grisly results. Horrified by the murder of innocent bystanders, Rath decides to take one last job and then return to civilian life. But finding his way out of the world of contract killing grows ever more dangerous as Rath falls for his female target (Julianne Moore) and becomes a marked man himself.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘Expend4bles.’
Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries, Statham, Lundgren, Couture, and Stallone are joined for the first time by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.
Ray Breslin (Stallone) is the world’s foremost authority on structural security. After analyzing every high security prison and learning a vast array of survival skills so he can design escape-proof prisons, his skills are put to the test. He’s framed and incarcerated in a master prison he designed himself. He needs to escape and find the person (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who put him behind bars.
Jack Carter (Stallone), a mob enforcer living in Las Vegas, travels back to his hometown of Seattle for his brother’s funeral. During this visit, Carter realizes that the death of his brother was not accidental, but a murder. With this knowledge, Carter sets out to kill all those responsible.
Set in 1958, the coming of age story follows four lower middle-class Brooklyn teenagers (Stallone, Henry Winkler, Perry King and Paul Mace) known as The Lords of Flatbush. The Lords chase girls, steal cars, shoot pool, get into street fights, and hang out at a local malt shop.
Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark in ‘The Suicide Squad.’ Photo: Warner Bros./DC Comics.
Welcome to Belle Reve, the prison where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out, even join the super-secret Task Force X. Today’s assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), King Shark (Stallone), and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
Now arm them heavily and drop them on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) on the ground to make them behave, and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement.
A group of POWs (Stallone, Michael Caine and Pelé) in a German prison camp during World War II play the German National Soccer Team in this powerful film depicting the role of prisoners during wartime.
Now the world champion, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) is living in luxury and only fighting opponents who pose no threat to him in the ring, until Clubber Lang (Mr. T) challenges him to a bout. After taking a pounding from Lang, the humbled champ turns to former bitter rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for a rematch with Lang.
A year after losing his friend in a tragic 4,000-foot fall, former ranger Gabe Walker (Stallone) and his partner, Hal (Michael Rooker), are called to return to the same peak to rescue a group of stranded climbers, only to learn the climbers are actually thieving hijackers who are looking for boxes full of money.
Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), a violent criminal cryogenically frozen in 1996, escapes during a parole hearing in 2032 in the utopia of San Angeles. Police are incapable of dealing with his violent ways and turn to his captor (Stallone), who had also been cryogenically frozen after being wrongfully accused of killing 30 innocent people while apprehending Phoenix.
After Rocky (Stallone) goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian (Talia Shire) but can’t put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the “Master of Disaster” and the “Italian Stallion” are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.
Ray Tango (Stallone) and Gabriel Cash (Kurt Russell) are narcotics detectives who, while both being extremely successful, can’t stand each other. Crime Lord Yves Perret (Jack Palance), furious at the loss of income that Tango and Cash have caused him, frames the two for murder. Caught with the murder weapon on the scene of the crime, the two have no alibi. Thrown into prison with most of the criminals they helped convict, it appears that they are going to have to trust each other if they are to clear their names and catch the evil Perret.
Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men (Liam Hemsworth) is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV.’
Rocky Balboa proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union.
When former Green Beret John Rambo (Stallone) is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, the Vietnam vet snaps, runs for the hills and rat-a-tat-tats his way into the action-movie hall of fame. Hounded by a relentless sheriff (Brian Dennehy), Rambo employs heavy-handed guerilla tactics to shake the cops off his tail.
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
Freddy Heflin (Stallone) is the sheriff of a place everyone calls “Cop Land” — a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he’s long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town’s peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law.
Sylvester Stallone in 1977’s ‘Rocky.’ Photo: United Artists.
When world heavyweight boxing champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) wants to give an unknown fighter a shot at the title as a publicity stunt, his handlers choose palooka Rocky Balboa (Stallone), an uneducated collector for a Philadelphia loan shark. Rocky teams up with trainer Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) to make the most of this once in a lifetime break.
Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables, led by Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. When The Expendables are assigned a mission to stop a terrorist organization from smuggling nuclear warheads that will ignite a conflict between Russia and the U.S., new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.
‘Expend4bles’ is a step up from the last film in the franchise and wisely takes the series back to its roots focusing on Barney Ross and Lee Christmas’s friendship. New recruits Megan Fox and 50 Cent infuse fresh blood into the franchise while director Scott Waugh creates some incredible action sequences including a motorcycle chase on a cargo ship.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Director Scott Waugh and Andy Garcia on the set of ‘Expend4bles.’ Photo credit: Yana Blajeva.
2010’s original ‘The Expendables’ promised to bring legendary action stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Dolph Lundgren together with modern action stars like Jason Statham, Jet Li and Terry Crews in hopes that they would eventually take over the franchise. But as the sequels began to come out, adding more and more classic action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, and Wesley Snipes, the idea of Stallone passing the series to Statham started to disappear. It was clear that this was Stallone’s franchise and he has no plans to retire.
However, that has all changed for ‘Expend4bles,’ which finally see’s Stallone’s Barney Ross passing the baton to Statham’s Lee Christmas, who is joined by some returning members as well as some new faces. When an unknown villain from Barney’s past resurfaces and hires terrorist Suarto Rahmat (Uwais) to start a war between Russia and the U.S., CIA agent Marsh (Garcia) hires The Expendables to stop him. But when Barney goes missing and Christmas refuses to follow orders, Marsh replaces him as team leader with Gina (Fox), who is also Christmas’ girlfriend, and she leads the rest of the team on mission to bring down Rahmat. But when they are captured, it is up to Christmas, with the help of Barney’s old friend Decha (Jaa), to rescue his team and bring the mysterious villain, who is behind the scenes pulling the strings, to justice.
While Stallone still has a major presence in the film, it was wise for the franchise to let his character step aside for Christmas and a new cast of characters to take the lead, which has breathed fresh life into the dying franchise. The tone of the film is off at times, still holding on to the over-the-top masculinity and silly humor of the past movies, but the new characters and explosive action are enough to overcome it.
Director Scott Waugh, best known for his action-driven work on ‘Act of Valor,’ was a good choice to direct the fourth installment, as it feels more like the beginning of a new franchise than the end of an old one. Waugh allows the actors, especially Statham, to do what they do best, and complements their over-the-top characters with excellent action sequences including a fantastic motorcycle chase on a cargo ship.
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Make no mistakes, this is Jason Statham’s movie. The actor, who has played second banana to Stallone since the beginning of the franchise is finally given his moment to shine and carries the movie well. We get a chance to know Christmas a little better in this film, exploring his deep connection to Barney, and his new relationship with Gina. Statham has fun banter with Stallone, as well as a nice chemistry with Fox, and in the second act is given a ‘Die Hard’ like plot that works well with his character and the overall story of the film.
The New Recruits
(L to R) Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as “Easy Day”, Megan Fox as “Gina”, Dolph Lundgren as “Gunner Jensen,” Jacob Scipio as “Galan” Andy Garcia as “Marsh” in ‘Expend4bles.’ Copyright: EX4 Productions, Inc. 2022.
The film introduces four new Expendables members, and each one really has a chance to shine. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson plays Easy Day, and he fits in well with Lundgren and Couture’s returning characters and is a solid addition to the ensemble. Actress Levy Tran also makes an impression as Lash. Her character forms a deep connection with Toll Road and she has some fun scenes with Randy Couture. Another standout is Jacob Scipio who plays Galan, the son of Galgo, Antonio Banderas’ character from ‘The Expendables 3.’ It’s a nice bridge to the previous film, and Scipio is delightful doing his best Banderas impression.
But of all the new cast members, it’s really Megan Fox that steals the show, as the actress commands the screen as Gina. It seems like Fox was born to be an action star, and I don’t know why she doesn’t star in every action movie, she’s that good! She completely holds her own in scenes with Stallone, and especially Statham, and is as fun to watch in the action sequences as any of her co-stars.
While the series has featured female Expendable members in the past like Ronda Rousey’s Luna, Gina is a fully formed character, and is as respected as a member of the team as any of the other male counterparts. In fact, the movie sets up that she is such a badass, she is the natural choice to lead the team when Barney and Christmas are unable. Kudos to the filmmakers for creating such a strong female character and casting an actress who can handle the action as well as Fox does.
Returning Favorites
(L to R) Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Dolph Lundgren, and director Scott Waugh on the set of ‘Expend4bles.’ Photo credit: Yana Blajeva.
While his role is limited, it’s always great seeing Sylvester Stallone on screen. He clearly has an understanding of who this character is, and again, has some fun scenes with Statham. But I was also impressed at how all the characters were given something to do and room to grow, while no one was left behind.
Dolph Lundgren’s Gunner, who had been the most unpredictable member of the team in past installments, is now a loyal teammate and the unofficial philosopher of the group. Randy Couture has always been the most forgettable member of the Expendables, Toll Road, but in this movie has more time to explore his character’s humor and a new friendship with Tran’s Lash.
The Villains and Other Misfires
Tony Jaa in ‘The Expendables 4.’
Actor Iko Uwais plays the main antagonist Suarto Rahmat and is very good in his action sequences, but he’s not as strong a villain as Jean-Claude Van Damme or Mel Gibson in past installments. Those villains had personal connections to Barney and his team, and without that emotional connection, Uwais’ performance feels empty. There is an attempt made to connect the “mystery big bad” to Barney’s past, it’s a reveal I won’t spoil but it’s pretty obvious from the beginning who the mystery villain is and it won’t come as a surprise to the audience the way it was intended.
The movie also fails the most when it is trying to shoehorn in humor, which usually does not work and falls flat. A few fun one liners are expected in any good action movie, but there are entire scenes dedicated to comedy, that just don’t feel needed for this type of movie.
Final Thoughts
‘Expend4bles’ feels like a fresher installment of the franchise than the last one, and is a good start to a new series, if that is the direction they choose to go in. Director Scott Waugh brings a terrific action sensibility and creates some mind-bowing sequences. Stallone tees up the film well for Statham, who does a good job taking the reins, and new additions like Fox, Jackson, Scipio and Tran prove that there is still life left in this aging franchise.
‘Expend4bles’ receives 7.5 stars out of 10.
‘The Expendables 4’ is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 22, 2023, by Lionsgate.
Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables, led by Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. When The Expendables are assigned a mission to stop a terrorist organization from smuggling nuclear warheads that will ignite a conflict between Russia and the U.S., new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Scott Waugh about his work on ‘Expend4bles,’ the challenges of joining a franchise already in progress, if Sylvester Stallone is really passing the series over to Jason Statham, Lee Christmas going all ‘Die Hard’, shooting a motorcycle chase on a cargo ship, why he enjoyed working with Megan Fox, and how ‘The Expendables 3’s Antonio Banderas almost returned for the new movie.
(L to R) Levy Tran and director Scott Waugh on the set of ‘Expend4bles.’ Photo credit: Yana Blajeva.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Waugh and producers Kevin King-Templeton and Les Weldon.
Moviefone: To begin with, as a filmmaker, can you talk about the challenges of joining a movie series already in progress and coming in to direct the fourth installment of a popular franchise like ‘The Expendables’?
Scott Waugh: Well, I think the challenge is you never want to deviate from the brand. The fans love ‘The Expendables.’ They love the tone of ‘Expendables.’ It’s a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I always say it’s an escapism type of movie. You leave our dark world we live in and pay money to go somewhere else and have some fun. That’s ‘Expendables’. So for me, what I really was focused on the whole time was how do I bring something fresh and fun, but throwback to the original movie? So we were extremely hyper-focused on going back to the original movie and maintaining that core cast and the fun of it, tonally getting back on message, getting back to rated R, and getting back to the fun violence. But then I wanted to elevate the action and the fights, and take it to a new level. That’s when we brought in the Hong Kong fight team that I worked with on ‘Hidden Strike’ and really just tried to elevate all of that.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’
MF: The movie introduces the idea of Barney Ross handing over the team to Lee Christmas, and in a way, Sylvester Stallone handing the franchise over to Jason Statham. Can you talk about that theme in the movie and was Stallone cool with the idea of taking a back seat to Statham and the rest of the crew?
SW: I think the idea that Stallone’s passing this to Statham is exciting. Stallone still amazes me, his physical capability at his age. It’s still unbelievable to me. I’m 53 and busted up, and somehow he is in his late seventies and can still do it. But I think for Sly, he’s in a place in his life where time is super important to him. Being on the full run of an ‘Expendables’ movie takes up a lot of his time and I fully respect that. Jason’s my age and really is still excited about continually working a lot. So it was a natural pass. Now, I’ll say, I definitely don’t think Sly is out of the brand. I think Sly will always be a part of it. He’s the starter of ‘The Expendables’ and the original director. So I think it’s new blood with the old.
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’
MF: The second act of the film sees Lee Christmas taking on a group of bad guys by himself and it seemed a little ‘Die Hard’ inspired. Can you talk about that sequence and was that what you were going for?
SW: So look, the story itself is a revenge and redemption story, and it does come around the character of Lee Christmas. So I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a Christmas story, but it definitely leans on his character because of what his character’s going through. But there is this wonderful moment in the end of act two that I really feel like, does the franchise have the boldness to do what you think they might do? I don’t want to give away the plot, but we do something that will really make your eye drop. I’m not going to give it away, but I’ll just say this, it stays on message with the brand.
(L to R) Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Dolph Lundgren, and director Scott Waugh on the set of ‘Expend4bles.’ Photo credit: Yana Blajeva.
MF: There is an incredible action sequence involving a high speed motorcycle chase that takes place on a cargo ship. Can you talk about choreographing and shooting that scene?
SW: I come from motocross. I was super excited about trying to bring something fresh to the ship because I’m like, “What can we do on the ship because it’s a ship?” I’m like, “What about a motorcycle chase on the ship?” That’s how we designed this whole thing. Then the exciting part was I go, “Man, we got to do something super cool. We need to bring in somebody like Robbie Maddison and do some badass X Games jumps and get that quintessential moment in the movie.” Luckily, we were able to get Robbie to come in and do the big jump for us. I think it’s just one of those moments that hopefully makes you smile because it’s so crazy, so cool, and so Christmas.
Megan Fox as Gina in ‘Expend4bles.’
MF: While there have been female Expendable members in past movies, Megan Fox’s Gina is different because she is also a team leader and receives the same level of respect as Ross and Christmas. Can you talk about the importance of creating a female character who is really on the same level as the strongest Expendable members?
SW: Look, I think it was definitely a part of the script when I came in with Megan’s character, Gina, and I really enjoyed the fact that there was a female character that was on equal ground and was badass. It’s incredible working with somebody like Megan because she doesn’t give herself enough credit. I was working with her. I’m like, “You’re so physically talented,” and I think she’s a wonderful actress and she fits in so well with the rest of the guys because she can hold her own weight. She doesn’t take any shit from any of the guys, and I just love that. That’s why I think she just fits in with those type of big personalities.
Jacob Scipio as Galan in ‘Expend4bles.’
MF: Finally, actor Jacob Scipio plays Galan, the son of Antonio Banderas character, Galgo from ‘The Expendables 3.’ But I understand that originally Banderas was set to return but you just couldn’t work out his shooting schedule, is that correct?
SW: That’s exactly it. When I read it, I was expecting Antonio was coming in. Then when they said, “We can’t make it work out with Antonio’s schedule,” I was like, “But the character’s so great and he’s so important throughout all those moments.” So I thought about it. I came back to the producers and I said, “What if we make it his son? Galgo was his father. Galan is the new character and Galan could be just like his dad with the same personality.” So that’s when we came up with that character and then we casted Jacob and he did a great job.
(L to R) Director Scott Waugh and Andy Garcia on the set of ‘Expend4bles.’ Photo credit: Yana Blajeva.
The film is set after the events of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’, where we find the band of misfits in their new home on Knowhere. Unexpectedly, a new powerful enemy crashes in and injures Rocket, and if the Guardians don’t act fast enough, it could mean life or death for their teammate.
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The official synopsis for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is below:
“In Marvel Studios ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ opened in theaters on May 5th, 2023, to $118.4 million domestically and has grossed over $348.5 million since its opening. Worldwide box office earnings have grossed over $825.3 million since its release. This was a highly anticipated film among Marvel fans and is certified Fresh on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with an 82% score from critics and a 94% score from the audience.
The team faces brand new threats in this movie, with the stakes being higher than ever when it involves one of the members of the team. Still recovering from his heartbreak and loss of Gamora, Peter Quill and his band of misfits are settled in on Knowhere when Adam Warlock crashes in.
Adam Warlock has long been teased to appear in the MCU since ‘Thor: Dark World’ and the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ However, it was in the post-credit scene in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2’ that confirmed his appearance. Played by Will Poulter, the MCU’s Adam Warlock origin differs from the comics. Instead of being created by scientists, Adam Warlock in the film is a Sovereign warrior created by the high priestess Ayesha and The High Evolutionary.
The film also introduces The High Evolutionary (played by Chukwudi Iwuji) to the MCU. A geneticist whose personal mission is to create the perfect species, he abducted various creatures for his experiment, with Rocket Raccoon (then named 89P13) being one of his test subjects. When Rocket points out the flaws in The High Evolutionary’s project, it confuses and angers him to the point where he orders Rocket’s brain to be removed so that he can study him.
Rocket manages to escape. Years later, when The High Evolutionary learns of his involvement with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he orders Adam Warlock to retrieve him at all costs.
When it comes to the Guardians of the Galaxy, we know we’re in for a grand space adventure, with hilarious banter between the Guardians. However, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ takes on a more somber and emotional tone. With director James Gunn being the co-chairman of DC Studios, this is likely the final film he’ll direct for Marvel. This movie not only wraps up the adventures of the current team of the Guardians, but it also dives into the origin story of Rocket.
Previously named 89P13, Rocket Raccoon is subjected to tests and experiments by The High Evolutionary. In flashback scenes, we meet Rocket’s fellow cagemates Floor, Teefs, and Lylla. The four friends found comfort in each other, often playing games and daydreaming about the “forever and beautiful sky.” The message of animal cruelty is not missed in the film, and what The High Evolutionary does to Rocket and his friends will send a shock through your system and gives you an insight into some of Rocket’s hardened personality.
Though the Guardians tend to bicker with each other, the group has become quite close-knit. Once Rocket’s life is on the line, his friends will stop at nothing to save him, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Rocket is definitely the heart of this story and we suggest you have some tissues on standby when you watch.
Where Can I Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’?
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
The film premiered at Disneyland Paris on April 22nd, 2023. Later, the US premiere was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California, on April 27th, 2023. The movie is still showing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, making it the longest film in the Guardians franchise.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Movies Anywhere will have the movie available digitally on July 7th, 2023.
As for as streaming goes, an official date hasn’t been confirmed. The movie is released by Disney so it is likely to end up on Disney+ once it is ready to go to streaming.
For those who prefer physical copies, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ will be available on DVD/Blu-Ray on August 1st, 2023, complete with special features such as featurettes, deleted scenes, director’s commentary, and gag reel.
To watch our exclusive interview with writer/director James Gunn and Chris Pratt about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ please click on the video player below.
Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed faces off against Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson in ‘Creed III’. This movie also serves as Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut who has been starring in the sports franchise since 2015.
Following the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II’, Adonis “Donnie” Creed is considering retirement as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World when his childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian “Dame” Anderson comes back into his life, throwing everything into disarray. The film puts the two former friends at odds and Donnie will have to fight in the most emotional match yet.
“After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damien Anderson, resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damien – a fighter who has nothing to lose.”
‘Creed III’ opened to $58.3 million domestially, $22 million more than ‘Creed II’. It is certified Tomatoe-meter fresh with a 89% score from critics and 96% from audience. The third installment has grossed $272 million worldwide since it’s release.
Helming a popular franchise such as ‘Creed’ is no easy task, yet Michael B. Jordan took on the challenge of being both the lead of the film and stepping behind the camera to direct. The star’s impressive resume and dedication shows as the film balances its action, heart, and humor extremely well.
Jordan kept the tone from the the previous ‘Creed’ films such as the action and redemption arc while adding his own flavor like utilizing slow-motion in the ring. This helped emphasis each punch and by using it sparingly, it didn’t make it feel like a gimmick. Jordan’s love of anime can also be seen in his directorial style. The actor has spoken about his love for animes such as ‘Naruto’, ‘Dragonball Z’, and ‘One Piece’, and using it as a visual reference for some of the fight scenes.
Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau light the actors in such a unique and abstract way for the final match, using colors like red and green to emphasis what they’re feeling as they made their walk toward the ring. Morgenthau worked with Crafty Apes, the VFX team, to map out the final moments and by using a motion-control camera, the fight was immersive and distinctive.
With a stellar box office and reception, a “Creed-verse” may not be too far off. According to Deadline, Jordan has met with Amazon to explore other ‘Creed’ related projects. No details are confirmed but there are talks of spin-off projects such as an anime series, live-action TV series, and even a story centered on Donnie’s daughter Amara, played by deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent. A spin-off movie based on Rocky’s nemesis Ivan Drago and his son Viktor Drago has also been announced. The possibility is endless when it comes to the Creed/Rocky universe, which is quite exciting for fans of the franchise.
Where Is Rocky?
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed II.’
One thing that was mising from ‘Creed III’ was Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Although Rocky has constantly been in Donnie’s corner in each movie, this is the first film in the ‘Creed’ saga to not feature the character. They do mention his name once during the film but Rocky’s whereabouts was not clear, so what happened?
Although Stallone created the characters in the original ‘Rocky’, he sold the rights to producer Irwin Winkler and MGM in order to have the first film made, therefore he has no real say in the future of the franchise. Stallone did not agree with the direction Winkler wanted to take with the franchise, and felt it was too dark.
We don’t know whether Stallone will return to the franchise, but his absence was definitely noticeable as someone who had been a mentor for Donnie since the first ‘Creed’ film.
The film premiered in Mexico City on February 9, 2023 and released theatrically in the United States on March 3, 2023. It is the third film in the ‘Creed’ franchise and the 19th film in the ‘Rocky’ saga. ‘Creed III’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes. You can still experience the boxing action-drama in theaters. Be sure to check below for showtimes in your area.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Creed III’ below:
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Prefer to watch experience the movie from your home? You’re in luck. ‘Creed III’ is now available to rent or purchase digitally on the Amazon streaming service, Prime Video as of April 1, 2023.
Producer Neal Moritz has been looking to do something with 1993 action thriller ‘Cliffhanger’ for years now. He announced way back in 2009 that he was looking to reboot the concept (enthused by the success of J.J. Abrams’ first ‘Star Trek’ movie.
It has gone through different variations since then including the original plan to swap Sylvester Stallone’s sole hero for several younger climbers tackling peaks around the world, and a mysterious development from writer Joe Gazzam. Nothing, however, has come to fruition.
Now, though, it looks like it could finally be on, as Sylvester Stallone is back to star, with ‘Hunters’ Mark Bianculli cracking the script and ‘Angel has Fallen’s Ric Roman Waugh in the director’s chair (or climbing harness?)
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What was the story of the original ‘Cliffhanger’?
Renny Harlin’s original movie proved that the ‘Die Hard’ formula needn’t necessarily be restricted to claustrophobic indoor settings, plonking mountain-rescue boy Stallone on the side of a snowy peak. Sly’s Gabe Walker was reluctantly trying to foil John Lithgow’s plan to recover $100m stolen from the US treasury and deposited in the Rockies after a mid-air transfer went somewhat awry. There were deaths by gun, gravity, drowning and stalactite. And it wasn’t all snow: there were caves too.
(L to R) Janine Turner and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Cliffhanger.’
No one is saying what the actual plot of the new movie will be, save for Sly’s return. You just know, though, that the stakes (and probably the mountains) will be higher, and, we’d guess, there will be more on Walker’s team.
But can it live up to the original’s iconic scene of Gabe letting someone slip through his fingers. Climbing’s a dangerous sport, so you’ve got to figure there’ll be a body count.
Waugh said this about working on the new movie:
“Growing up with the biggest action films of the 80s and 90s, working on many of them myself, ‘Cliffhanger’ was by far one of my favorite spectacles. To be at the helm of the next chapter, scaling the Italian Alps with the legend himself, Sylvester Stallone, is a dream come true. It’s going to be a great challenge and blast taking this franchise to new heights, a responsibility I don’t take lightly.”
Moritz was also enthusiastic:
“I’ll never forget the thrill I felt watching Sylvester Stallone in ‘Cliffhanger’. I am incredibly excited to be working with him and Ric Waugh to continue the story of Gabe Walker and introduce this iconic story to a new generation of filmgoers around the world.”
Sly will produce this one and casting is now under way to find the actors to fill the roles around the leading man.
(L to R) Janine Turner and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Cliffhanger.’
