The Expendables actors are part of a giant ensemble cast, but some big names have turned the franchise down. One of Sylvester Stallone's major action movie franchises, The Expendables franchise kicked off in 2010,
directed by Sylvester Stallone who brought together a cast of action heroes in a tribute to ‘80s action movies. The Expendables was a big hit upon its release, with The Expendables 2 following in 2012 and expanding its roster even more. While 2014’s The Expendables 3 brought in the biggest ensemble the franchise had ever seen, its PG-13 rating led to it being a financial disappointment.
Despite its downturn, The Expendables featured a list of very impressive stars. With Stallone as the series anchor, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews make up the main team, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis as close allies. The Expendables actors have also included Jean-Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins, Chuck Norris, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, and Antonio Banderas, and many more big names. However, there have also been several big names who turned down offers to appear.
Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell in Furious 7.
Sylvester Stallone’s initial casting choice for Mr. Church in The Expendables was Kurt Russell. However, Russell declined the role, reportedly due to being disinclined towards “ensemble acting at the moment.” Russell later said that he hadn't even watched the movies in the franchise, saying, "It's not a beat I get. It's like looking backwards to me." Thanks to Russell rejecting the role, Stallone ended up casting Bruce Willis as Mr. Church in The Expendables.
Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal now
While The Expendables was being put together, Steven Seagal was also approached about making a cameo appearance in the ensemble action movie. Seagal declined, owing to a rift with someone in the franchise. "I just didn't like some of the people involved. Life is too short to work with funny people," Seagal said (via Slash Film). Seagal refused to name names at the time.
Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis in The Expendables.
Following on his appearance as one of the original The Expendables actors, Bruce Willis returned for The Expendables 2 with Mr. Church having an expanded role. Willis was originally set to return as Church in The Expendables 3, but a pay dispute would lead to him not coming back. According to reports, Willis was getting paid $3 million for a four-day shoot, but he wanted an extra million and Stallone refused the demands. Stallone cast Harrison Ford 72 hours later as Drummer in The Expendables 3 and went on to call Willis "greedy and lazy."
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme in Expendables 2.
As part of the action hero ensemble that The Expendables actors entailed, The Muscles from Brussels was approached by Stallone. It is not entirely clear who Van Damme would have portrayed in The Expendables, but due to Van Damme not finding the story compelling, he ultimately declined Stallone's offer. It would end up being a moot point within two years, with Van Damme joining The Expendables 2 as the villainous Jean-Vilain, which also reunited him with his frequent on-screen co-stars Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren.
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes in The Expendables 3 pic
The part of The Expendables mini-canon wielding Hale Caesar was initially written for Wesley Snipes. Due to his tax-related issues at the time that saw him spend three years in prison, Snipes had to turn down the role. Snipes would subsequently be seen in The Expendables 3 as Doc Death, making a meta-joke on his real-life tax conviction after being rescued by his teammates, Stallone's Demolition Man co-star Wesley Snipes saying, as Doc Death, that he was imprisoned due to “tax evasion.”
Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker in Rogue One A Star Wars Story
After Snipes had to turn down Hale Caesar in The Expendables, Forest Whitaker was originally set to assume the role. In the end, a scheduling conflict forced Whitaker to back out of The Expendables (via Slash Film). Whitaker would nonetheless later appear alongside one of The Expendables's core players, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the 2013 action movie The Last Stand.
50 Cent
Sylvester Stallone and 50 Cent in Escape Plan pic
50 Cent would also become attached to the role of Hale Caesar in The Expendables after Snipes and Whitaker abdicated the part. While the official reason is not clear, 50 Cent ultimately did not end up portraying Hale Caesar, with the role finally being assumed by Terry Crews. 50 Cent would later co-star with Stallone in the Escape Plan trilogy and eventually joined the franchise in The Expendables 4.
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