The Stallone action franchise added other luminaries in later entries, with the series having spawned four entries from 2010 to 2023. There’s talk of a potential Expendables 5, too, which would be a mild (but pleasant) surprise given the critical and commercial flop of the fourth film.
All Four Movies In The Expendables Series Are Available On Netflix
The franchise is an ode to the action flicks of the 1980s and 1990s, and while none of them are flawless, they’re a good time with friends and some pizza. For those who wish to revisit the saga (or watch it for the first time), the entire Expendables series is currently streaming on Netflix.
While some instalments are better than others, the series plays better as a binge watch. They have a nice blend of macho banter and explosions, and except for the third outing, they all run under two hours. They breeze past, in other words, and it’s hard to beat The Expendables in terms of star power.
It’s a property where Harrison Ford shares barbed gags with Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Stallone has a vicious brawl with Jean-Claude Van Damme. It can’t be denied that the reputation of the films took a major dent with Expend4bles, which sidelined Stallone and relied too much on shonky CGI and lame humor.
Why The Expendables Movie Series Is Worth Watching
Even the fourth movie is improved when watching the series as a whole, however. The Expendables itself will never rank amongst the great franchises, and there’s an argument that the premise never lived up to its full potential. That said, they’re never, ever boring either, and it’s like a Greatest Hits mashup for the whole genre.
Every instalment has at least one standout setpiece, the villains are suitably nasty, and even the bad jokes can land a grudging chuckle. Plus, there’s no other series with this many genre legends. One minute, Wesley Snipes will be trading quips with Statham, and the next, Bruce Willis and Arnie are wiping out terrorists while shooting from a tiny car.
For genre fans, The Expendables is a cozy blanket of a franchise. It’s janky, and the balance of action and comedy was never quite perfected, but they’re easy movies to sink into as well. Binging the entire franchise is a good way to signal to the money men that there is still interest in a fifth adventure too.
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- Created by
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David Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
- First Film
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The Expendables
- Latest Film
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Expend4bles
- Cast
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Jason Statham, Curtis Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, Andy Garcia, Sylvester Stallone, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes
- Movie(s)
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The Expendables, The Expendables 2, The Expendables 3, Expend4bles, Expendables 5
- Character(s)
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Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Gunner Jensen, Trent Mauser, Yin Yang, Hale Caesar, Booker, Maggie (The Expendables)
The Expendables is an American action film franchise created by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone. It revolves around a team of elite mercenaries and serves as an homage to 1980s and 1990s blockbuster action films, featuring iconic action stars. The franchise includes four films, released between 2010 and 2023, along with comic books, video games, and potential spin-offs, including a canceled all-female film. Known for its ensemble cast and explosive action, The Expendables celebrates both classic and modern action heroes.
