Sylvester Stallone teases that Jason Statham will have a bigger role in The Expendables 4, saying his opponent is “80 percent” of the action sequence.
After largely being the right-hand man on the first three films, Sylvester Stallone is teasing a much bigger role for Jason Statham in The consumables 4. Statham stars in the action franchise as Lee Christmas, the second-in-command of the titular squad of mercenaries behind Stallone’s Barney Ross, and the group’s knife expert. While receiving a wide range of reviews for their three films, The expendables franchise has largely proven to be a consistent performer at the box office, making a combined $804 million against its combined budget of $282 million.
In a recent career-spanning interview with The Hollywood ReporterSylvester Stallone looked to the future of The expendables franchisee. While discussing the upcoming sequel, The consumables 4, the star/co-creator teased that his co-star Jason Statham will have a much bigger role in the next film. Check out what Stallone shared below:
I heard it turned out pretty well. Jason Statham is 80 percent of that. He’s happy with it.
What does Statham’s greater role mean for the future of The Expendables?
This isn’t the first time Stallone has hinted that Statham would be getting a bigger role in The consumables 4. In a set video released by the franchise’s co-creator last May, Stallone indicated that he would be leaving the action series after the fourth film, featuring The consumables 4 act as a proper transfer of the torch between him and Statham. While it was initially seen as more of a joke when it was released, Stallone’s latest comments could be evidence that he is indeed stepping back in his involvement with the property, which would make sense given his current ties to the Paramount + drama Tulsa King from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, as well as his upcoming return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Stallone has also teased plans for a demolition man sequel, although word on that has stalled in recent years, while more recently it indicates that its planned Rambo prequel movie is gaining ground behind the scenes. While the latter project wouldn’t necessarily require his on-screen presence, his close involvement with the action franchise over the years would likely necessitate him stepping back from The expendables series. This, in turn, would open the door for Statham’s Christmas to take on the lead role Barney will have for a future consumables movies.
While the franchise may be better known for their action-oriented nature, Statham is getting a bigger role in The consumables 4 could even be an interesting story direction for the series, as Christmas is generally regarded as a hothead who often doesn’t work well with others outside of Stallone’s Barney. Pushing his character into a leadership position for future sequels could even lead to good character development for Statham’s action hero, as he becomes responsible for lives other than his own. Only time will tell if this turns out to be the case when The consumables 4 opens in theaters on September 22, 2023.
Source: THR
