"Nothing is off the table": Producers hint at The Expendables 5 and beyond, but there's a catch

There is already speculation about a possible Expendables 5, with the franchise's fourth film, Expend4bles set to hit theatres on September 22, 2023.

The popular action franchise was set into motion in 2010 when Sylvester Stallone gathered several of his co-stars and adversaries from his 1980s action movie heydays. Since then, the series has developed into a trilogy starring action heroes from different eras, including Wesley Snipes, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Producers Kevin King-Templeton and Les Weldon haven’t given up on The Expendables 5 yet, despite the lack of concrete updates. The Expend4bles producers were open about the likelihood of The Expendables 5 in an interview with the Daily Express. The producers said,

"Nothing is off the table. We don’t know. It’s all about the fans."

While the statement does not necessarily imply that Expendables 5 has been approved or is confirmed, it does indicate that the producers and perhaps even the company Lionsgate are willing to continue producing Expendables films as long as there is a market for them.

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Expendables 5: The success of expend4bles will determine the extension of the franchise

The fourth film in the series, Expend4bles, is scheduled for release soon and has a cast that is equally as extensive and illustrious as the trilogy that came before it.

Since The Expendables 5 would immediately follow whatever is planned for the upcoming release, information is naturally limited until The Expendables 4 is released across theatres. Nonetheless, the prospect of a fifth instalment of The Expendables has already generated considerable controversy. Whatever Expend4bles has in store, it probably won’t be the franchise’s final chapter just yet.

The Expendables 3 received mixed reviews from critics and audiences and did poorly at the box office. Thus, the production of a fifth Expendables film will depend on how well the franchise's fourth film performs at the box office. Weldon and King-Templeton’s remarks demonstrate that a fifth instalment in the Expendables franchise is still possible if the fourth film succeeds.

Like the others, the fourth film in the series is based on an original story written by Spenser Cohen, who also collaborated on the script with Max Adams and John Joseph Connolly. Along with Avi Lerner, Les Weldon, Yariv Lerner, Kevin King, and other producers, Jason Statham plays a lead character and stars in the film.

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Expendables 5 - Possible release date and cast

It is difficult to pinpoint an exact release for a fifth Expendables film until it is officially announced. However, at least a few-year pauses have often occurred between each Expendables film. The Expendables 3 was released in 2014, and Expend4bles is the follow-up. The final release date for The Expendables 5 could be some years away, even if it is announced soon after the premiere of the fourth instalment. The earliest date would probably be 2025, but it is only a speculation.

If an Expendables 5 is made, the cast will probably be one of the most talked-about aspects of the film. In the upcoming fourth film, Sylvester Stallone’s role has been scaled back, and Jason Statham’s Lee Christmas has taken over as the main character. It would be intriguing to see how Lee Christmas does as the primary character without Stallone.

The rest of the cast for the film, if produced, can expect the return of prominent characters such as Curtis Jackson (rapper 50 Cent) as Easy Day, Megan Fox as Gina, Tony Jaa as Decha, and Andy Garcia as Marsh, among others.

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As fans eagerly wait for the announcement of a fifth Expendables film, you can catch the fourth instalment of the franchise, The Expend4bles, set to be released on September 22, 2023.