‘Expend4bles’ Is a Streaming Hit on Starz Ahead of ‘A Working Man’ Release

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I’m thrilled about the upcoming collaboration between Sylvester Stallone and Jason Momoa in “A Working Man.” After their last joint project, many film critics are hoping this new action thriller can make amends for that one. Meanwhile, as we eagerly anticipate the release of the movie, an unexpected twist: The fourth installment of Stallone’s “Expendables” franchise has unexpectedly climbed to the 4th spot on the Box Office Mojo chart!

Contrary to the harsh criticism from film critics who gave the latest Expend4bles installment a 14% Tomatometer score, the general audience seemed to have a very positive response to this action-packed franchise that has featured iconic action stars of the 1980s at some point. The movie saw Sylvester Stallone reprising his role as Barney Ross and bringing an array of both familiar and new faces to the screen. Joining forces with Jason Statham, who is now a leading figure in the series, this film also featured appearances by Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. The storyline of the movie is about:

Equipped with any tool they can lay their hands on and proficient in their use, The Expendables stand as the final barrier against global threats, summoned when all other solutions have run out. Yet, fresh faces and innovative strategies among the team will breathe entirely new life into the concept of “fresh blood”.

‘Expend4bles’ Did Not Deliver at the Box Office

In some instances, you can predict the type of movie you’re in for based on the cast. The film “Expend4bles” is definitely one of those examples, boasting numerous macho men, attractive females, and ample action. This time, Sylvester Stallone stepped back a bit, allowing Jason Statham to strut his masculine charm as the main attraction. Despite an impressive 70% approval rating among audiences, this didn’t translate into strong box office performance.

With an initial budget of $100 million, Expend4bles generated just $51.1 million globally upon its release in September 2023. Although its streaming and digital sales helped alleviate some losses, it raised doubts about the continuation of the franchise due to these disappointing box office results.

It was Dolph Lundgren, the movie’s leading actor, who clearly understood why the film didn’t succeed. In an open conversation with ScreenRant, he shared his insights.

I skipped reading the reviews because I had a feeling they would echo similar sentiments. The project seemed to have troubles from its inception, and it often stems from the script. frankly, the script wasn’t impressive at all. As I’m not playing the main character, it’s challenging for me to comment on some of those issues, but Sylvester Stallone, who usually takes a more active role, was absent in this one. He only played a character, and when he’s the one directing, the production quality is generally high and never dips below a certain level. However, since he wasn’t involved, I believe the issues stemmed from the script, and the director was replaced just a month before filming.

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2025-01-12 17:01