Jason Statham’s $800 Million Action Franchise Resurrected 2 Years After Critical and Commercial Flop

All signs pointed to Jason Statham’s Expendables franchise being dead in the water after the disaster that was Expend4bles, but things have taken an unexpected turn today. Lionsgate has announced that the studio has struck a multifaceted media deal to acquire the rights to both The Expendables franchise and the Rambo prequel in the works starring Noah Centineo (The Recruit). Lionsgate will now work closely with Millennium Media on all future Rambo and Expendables movies and TV shows. No future projects beyond Centineo’s Rambo prequel have been announced at this time, but this acquisition all but assures more are coming.

Everyone in the world assumed that we’d seen the last of The Expendables after Expend4bles grossed less than $40 million at the global box office against a $100 million budget. This was further driven home by the poor reviews, which led to the film earning a Rotten 14% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience-driven Popcornmeter sits at a somewhat respectable 69%, but this wasn’t enough to sell an appropriate number of theater tickets that would have justified a $100 million budget. It’s also possible that Lionsgate and Millennium are looking to develop an Expendables offshoot, not a continuation, which could help resolve some budget issues.

As for the Rambo prequel starring Noah Centineo, this press release confirms that things are moving forward as planned. Sylvester Stallone broke his silence on the series not long ago, admitting that he’s heard of it but isn’t involved. Stallone won’t even earn a producing credit for his work on the show — a surprising revelation considering the franchise exists only because of him. Fans are skeptical about Centineo taking things over, but only time will tell if he’s the right one for the job.

Could Jason Statham Be Coming Back to the Expendables?

While it’s exciting to know that there are plans for the future of The Expendables franchise — it wouldn’t be included in this acquisition if there weren’t — big stars like Statham and Stallone are likely going to be left behind. Their addition in these movies alone drives the budget up due to their high premium, and Lionsgate/Millennium is certainly looking for something less risky than another $100 million blockbuster. It could finally be time for The Expendables franchise to expand to a TV show with an entirely fresh group of cast and creatives.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of The Expendables and Rambo franchises.