24 Frames is reporting that Sylvester Stallone will not be writing or directing the upcoming sequel to The Expendables, which grossed a surprising $274.5 million in theaters worldwide when it was released back in August.
The site says that the sequel is a priority at producer Millennium Films and that Stallone is meeting with possible directors to take on the project. There's also word that the script has been written by David Agosto and Ken Kaufman (Curious George, Space Cowboys).
Stallone of course has signed on to return, but there's no word on what cast members will be reprising their roles in the sequel or what action veterans will be asked to return.
Since Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, and Jean Claude Van Damme all turned down invites to be in the original film, I say leave their asses on the cutting-room floor alongside what's left of their careers. But if you are looking to bring someone in, bring the old crew back, but also bring in new characters like Arnold Schwarzenegger (who was hilarious in his cameo), Michael Jai White, Kurt Russell, Dwayne Johnson, Jackie Chan, Carl Weathers, Mr. T, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, Jesse Ventura, Vin Diesel, and Gerard Butler. As for directors, I say we need someone who can give the film a B movie gritty feel like the old Charles Bronson films of the 70's so I suggest Joe Carnahan (The A Team), Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X Men First Class), Robert Rodriguez (Machete), Nimród Antal (Predators) George Tillman Jr. (Faster), Shane Black (who is busy at the moment with Iron Man 3, but is action movie royalty with his scripts for Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight, and also starred in one of my favorite action classics, as Hawkins in Predator with Schwarzenegger) or last, but certainly not least Quentin Tarantino, who definitely knows a thing or two about shooting gritty action throwbacks (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill) and could be the one to elevate the sequel to an action classic status since he's excellent at writing dialogue. Then he can get to working on Kill Bill 3.
These guys shoot action pretty well, and with a great script can elevate The Expendables to the greatest sequel we know it can be (as long as Sly puts in as much input into it as possible). All I ask is that there is better lighting in scenes if you are going to shoot action in dark places, and if you are going to show fight scenes, do not edit it all choppy like a MTV music video. When I watch action I want my eyes to move along with the fight like a beautifully choreographed dance, not get irritated by the choppy editing because you are trying to cover up bad shots or a stunt double doing the difficult moves.
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