Hollywood veteran and icon Clint Eastwood is well-known. He is well-known for movies like Cry Macho, A Few More Dollars, and A Fistful of Dollars. Producers are interested in casting the actor because he is regarded as an iconic action hero. Sylvester Stallone was one of these actors and producers who coveted Eastwood for his films, The Expendables series.
The Expendables trilogy was a celebration of Hollywood’s greatest action heroes, and Stallone is regarded as an accomplished action icon himself. Stallone wanted Eastwood to be a part of it, clearly. The seasoned actor desired a role in the franchise, so he refused to play the lead in the movies.
The Expendables franchise: Why Didn’t Clint Eastwood Want To Star In It?
The Expendables movies starring Sylvester Stallone featured a number of well-known performers. This included Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, and other actors. Clint Eastwood was the other legend Stallone sought for his high-profile event movie. When questioned by Extra TV if he could see himself playing a lead role in one of Stallone’s action movies, Eastwood responded, “Probably not.”
Stallone, on the other hand, was aware that his prospects of obtaining the renowned action star were slim. Well, Clint is so invested in what he’s doing, he said, so that’s kind of a pipe fantasy. Eastwood explained that he would have cherished the opportunity to become a more innovative and executive member of The Expendables. I’m probably more likely to direct something, he had said. Perhaps I’ll helm Expendables 3.”
It would have been incredible to see a guy who has starred in some of the most acclaimed action movies for decades helm The Expendables 3. But Eastwood freely acknowledged that he knew nothing about the action series. Clint Eastwood claims, “I haven’t had a chance to see [The Expendables]. I haven’t read any material.” Ultimately, the third film in The Expendables franchise was directed by Patrick Hughes.
Sylvester Stallone On Handpicking The Best For The Expendables
Sylvester Stallone was questioned about why he made the decision to explicitly team up the heavyweight action heroes of this generation and the one before in an interview with Collider. Stallone responded that he wished to produce an occasion akin to the Avengers films. The celebrity declared:
“Because they’re one of a kind – to get them all together is very, very rare. Life takes us all down very different paths, so to get them together is an event. That’s the key word: an event. We’re trying to make an ‘event movie’. Just like The Avengers, why is it so great? Because you’re bringing all these characters together.”
Stallone also mentioned how much he admires action actors because, in his opinion, it is the most demanding and difficult genre. He stated:
“The hardest thing is to find an action star. I don’t give a damn what anyone says, stars, they come and go. An action star, you can count on one hand, because it’s a very interesting element. And I think all these guys have that potential, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. And they all blend.”
While The Expendables trilogy is complete, the film franchise is still growing, with The Expendables 4 due out shortly. However, Clint Eastwood is not mentioned as a cast member there either. But action movie aficionados can’t help but wish that Sylvester Stallone and Clint Eastwood would share the screen one day.
The Expendables 4 will be released on September 22, 2023.
