It looks as if Sylvester Stallone’s latest movie, The Expendables, has officially grabbed the biggest, toughest guys in the business when it was announced today that Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed on to the project.
The other macho men on the cast include Stallone, martial arts star Jet Li, Oscar-nominee Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham. Oscar winner Forest Whitaker has also signed onto the project. Actors Sandra Bullock, Eric Roberts and Danny Trejo are rumored to have roles as well.
The role Roberts is reportedly in talks for was previously rumored to be filled by Sir Ben Kingsley.
The shooting for Schwarzenegger’s scenes will only take away from his governing duties for one day, and he will be playing himself.
According to IMDB, The Expendables is about a team of mercenaries that head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator (rumored to be Trejo’s role).
In related news, action star Jean-Claude Van Damme said in a recent interview with Total Film that he was approached by Stallone to play a role in The Expendables, but declined:
“Stallone gave me a part in his next movie but I ask him about the subject, about the story. He said, ‘You’re going make lots of money.’ I don’t want to hear that, I want to hear what was my character. He was unable to tell what it’s going to be. [Stallone said:] ‘You know, uh, well, the fighting will be good.’ [So I said:] ‘Sly, what is my character?’ So I didn’t do the movie.”
Van Damme is currently developing his next project, which may be another installment of the Bloodsport series.
