The time for speculation and rampant rumors is over, as The Expendables 3 began filming yesterday in Bulgaria, and the primary news that we all basically knew to be true is that Bruce Willis definitely did not show up. While that’s bad news for my Bruce Willis fan club, “Bruno’s Backup Band,” it still means that the show must go on and an entire cast of stars shall proceed with blowing everything to pieces, smithereens and oblivion.
And to put an end to the constant rumors about which former 80s or 90s action star may be joining the cast of The Expendables 3 next, Lionsgate and Millennium Films issued a press release with the complete cast, as well as the official plot and Mel Gibson’s role in this third installment of the blockbuster action nostalgia franchise.
First, the cast:
Sylvester Stallone
Jason Statham
Jet Li
Dolph Lundgren
Randy Couture
Terry Crews
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wesley Snipes
Antonio Banderas
Mel Gibson
Harrison Ford
Kellan Lutz
Ronda Rousey
Victor Ortiz
Glen Powell
The names missing from this list that will undoubtedly disappoint many people are Jackie Chan and Steven Seagal, who had both been rumored to be in negotiations to be this installment’s Jean Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris. But the addition of Lutz and Powell, as well as professional fighters Rousey and Ortiz, lends to a new theme of youthful energy vs. grizzled old bastards for the plot of The Expendables 3.
As for Gibson’s role as the main villain that he absolutely juiced up for:
In THE EXPENDABLES 3, Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team comes face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (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.
Conrad Stonebanks may be the worst villain name ever. Especially if you consider that at one point The Expendables were led by Barney and Connie. Just for sh*ts and giggles they should have had Woody Allen direct.