A release date has finally been announced for The Expendables 4. In the works for many years, Lionsgate has set the long-awaited sequel to release in movie theaters on Sept. 22, 2023. It might be facing some stiff competition that day, as Warner Bros. has also scheduled an unnamed DC movie to premiere on that date. Per Deadline, The Expendables 4 is one of three 2023 release dates set by the studio, which also plans to release the Sebastian Maniscalco biopic About My Father with Robert De Niro on May 26, as well as an untitled comedy movie on June 23.
Scott Waugh directs The Expendables 4 using a screenplay by Spenser Cohen and Max Adams. The film is produced by Kevin King-Templeton, Les Weldon, and Yariv Lerner. Reprising their roles from previous films are Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Randy Couture, and Dolph Lundgren. Newcomers to the cast include Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Andy Garcia, and Iko Uwais.
An official description of The Expendables 4 is as follows:
Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.
The Expendables 4 Adds New Blood to the Series
One noticable change with The Expendables 4 is that there aren't quite as many stars from the previous films that are back on board for this new movie. Randy Couture recently spoke with uInterview about the film and the Toll Road actor commented on the mix of returning stars along with the new blood.
“Obviously there's only four old Expendables characters left, and that's me and Dolph [Lundgren] and [Jason] Statham and [Sylvester] Stallone," he said. "So we added a whole new influx of new people. 50 Cent who I've worked with before and have a lot of respect for. Megan Fox which, was nice to meet somebody new. Andy Garcia who I've been a big fan of forever and has done some amazing work in the film industry. So it was really fun to get to see him work and be around him.”
Iko Uwais, who plays a villain in the new film, also commented on what it felt like to join the franchise with established action movie veterans. Per Okezone, the actor explained how much he valued the experience that his co-stars brought to the table and that it only added to their collaboration.
"Experience is very valuable for me to share a frame with senior players, who have a lot of experience. There are a lot of things that we share, what we think about them, beyond expectations," Uwais said.
The wait will last just under one more year, as The Expendables 4 will hit theaters on Sept. 22, 2023.