It was explosive in 2010 and got even bigger in 2012. 'The Expendables 3' invades theaters next week, August 13. This third installment of the incredibly star-studded action movie franchise brings in Hollywood heavyweights from the 80s and 90s, joined by a new generation of action stars. Recap what's happened in the past two films and check out the roster of stars portraying the elite mercenaries and villains in this guide.
THE FILMS
The Expendables (2010)
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Synopsis: A group of elite mercenaries are sent into South America to overthrow a dictator. But once the mission begins, they discover a plot far more sinister than they were led to believe. With innocent lives in the balance, these mercenaries are forced to take on an even more difficult challenge.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross, mastermind and leader of The Expendables
Characters:
Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone)
Lee Christmas (Jason Statham)
Yin Yang (Jet Li)
Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren)
Toll Road (Randy Couture)
Dan Paine ('Stone Cold' Steve Austin)
Hale Caesar (Terry Crews)
Tool (Mickey Rourke)
Trench Mauser (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Mr. Church (Bruce Willis)
Trivia: 'The Expendables' grossed P25 Million in 3 days, and the film took in $35 million in 3 days showing across the US and Canada, giving Stallone his career’s biggest opening.
The Expendables 2 (2012)
Director: Simon West
Synopsis: The group of mercenaries loses one of their own in a mission that goes horribly wrong. They swear revenge, and go into hostile territory to exact their unique brand of mercenary justice.
Characters:
Barney Ross
Lee Christmas
Yin Yang
Gunnar Jensen
Toll Road
Hale Caesar
Trench Mauser
Mr. Church
Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme)
Booker (Chuck Norris)
Billy The Kid (Liam Hemsworth)
Maggie (Yu Nan)
Trivia: Stallone was already conceptualizing 'The Expendables '2 even before the first movie was completed.
Missed this sequel in the theater? Catch it on HBO this Sunday, August 10, at 12:10am.
The Expendables 3 (2014)
Director: Patrick Hughes
Synopsis: The team comes face-to-face with with a ruthless arms dealer named Conrad Stonebanks, who was thought to be killed by Barney. Conrad, who is the co-founder of The Expendables, is determined to destroy the team. Barney rounds up his mercenaries and recruits a new breed of members to battle his old foe.
Characters:
Barney Ross
Lee Christmas
Yin Yang
Gunnar Jensen
Toll Road
Hale Caesar
Trench Mauser
Mr. Church
Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson)
Galgo (Antonio Banderas)
Doc (Wesley Snipes)
Max Drummer (Harrison Ford)
John Smilee (Kellan Lutz)
Thorn (Glenn Powell)
Luna (Ronda Rousey)
Mars (Victor Ortiz)
Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer)
Trivia: Harrison Ford is a private pilot and he showcases his real skills in this film–his character flies a helicopter.
Action film fanatics, who are your favorite The Expendables stars? Who would you cast as the heroes and the villains in your own version of The Expendables? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
