Man, we’ve truly run out of ideas, haven’t we?
Here comes word, via THR, that a female version of the The Expendables franchise, tentatively titled “Expendabelles,” is now in the works.
“Expendabelles” is being described as an “origin story” set in the late 1990s during the height of Y2K-era tension and geopolitical uncertainty. The plan is to introduce a new generation of elite female operatives in “a stylized, action-driven cinematic event designed to expand the mythology of the franchise while standing firmly on its own,” the filmmakers told THR.
I’d be shocked if Gina Carano isn’t already circling one of the roles.
The whole thing is moving forward with the full support of Lionsgate, which acquired the rights to the “Expendables” franchise late last year.
Sure, because if Ghostbusters and Ocean’s 8 taught us anything, it’s that feminizing male-driven IP is a great idea. Of course, I’m being sarcastic here — those reboots failed miserably, and “Expendabelles” might have an even harder time justifying its existence since “The Expendables” is especially attuned to a male demographic with a particularly blatant, testosterone-fueled ’80s action fetish.
The first The Expendables starred Sylvester Stallone alongside the likes of Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, and more. Bruce Willis, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, Glen Powell, Antonio Banderas, Victor Ortiz, and others turned up in later installments.
We all thought the IP was on its last legs, especially after 2023’s Expend4bles bombed with a reported $16 million domestic gross against a roughly $100 million budget. The reviews weren’t any better either — it currently sits at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes. Then came Lionsgate, swooping in to acquire the IP, and now they’re apparently going to try to milk it till the very last drop.