Everyone’s favorite team of elite mercenaries is back with a fresh crop of international killers. The new trailer for Expend4bles, the fourth installment of the Expendables franchise, goes all in to test the limits of its R-rating.
Any time a franchise is fortunate enough to get to a fourth film, it needs to reinvent itself and bring something new to the table. The Fast and the Furious franchise reached new levels starting with its fourth film, elevating it from a fun street racing series to an international blockbuster. More recently, John Wick 4 also raised the stakes, also going international with even more epic martial arts action.
Expend4bles is looking to take that next step, bringing in a fresh crop of mercenaries in Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. But maybe even more important than the new cast of stars is that it looks like the series is going all out with the blood, guts and violence that some fans have been clamoring for (which, given the fact that each of the prior films have also been rated R and packed with violence, is a little disturbing).
It’s also exciting to see Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa join the ranks, as the Indonesian and Thai martial arts superstars are no strangers to epic action films. The two have a dedicated following of fans around the world and I’m sure they will be eager to see the new film.
Expend4bles premieres in theaters globally September 22nd.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. To support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, donate to the Entertainment Community Fund.
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.
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Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
