How a mercenary-themed action film became a massive, unexpected box office hit

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Sylvester Stallone’s 2010 ensemble action film, The Expendables, was designed as a tribute to the blockbuster hits of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite mixed critical reviews, the film grossed over $274 million worldwide and surprised studio executives by attracting a surprisingly large female audience during its theatrical run.

The project began in 2005 when writer David Callaham submitted a script titled Barrow to Warner Bros. Sylvester Stallone later adapted this draft, envisioning an ensemble piece that would unite iconic action stars. The casting process was notoriously complex; roles were offered to actors like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes, and Kurt Russell, who all declined for various reasons ranging from creative differences to tax issues. Ultimately, Stallone assembled a cast including Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and Terry Crews, with cameos from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.

Production was an international affair, with filming taking place in Brazil and Louisiana. The film’s development was marked by significant logistical challenges, including a budget of $82 million and a last-minute pick-up scene in Los Angeles that featured Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Willis. The film’s release was pushed from April to August 2010 to allow for more production time, a move that preceded a strong opening weekend of $34.8 million in the United States. It eventually secured the top spot at the box office for two consecutive weeks.

Critical reception was polarized. While some reviewers, such as those at The Hollywood Reporter, praised the film’s old-school testosterone and explosive energy, others like Peter Travers of Rolling Stone criticized its lack of coherent plot and digital effects. Notably, Mickey Rourke’s performance received specific acclaim for bringing genuine dramatic weight to the action-heavy narrative. Despite the mixed reviews, the film’s success launched a franchise that spanned three sequels, with the most recent installment, Expend4bles, released in 2023.

The film also faced legal scrutiny when writer Marcus Webb sued for plagiarism, claiming elements were stolen from his script, The Cordoba Caper. In 2012, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff dismissed the case, noting that similarities were standard tropes of the genre rather than evidence of theft. The film remains a case study in high-concept action filmmaking, proving that the nostalgia for 1980s-style cinema could still command a massive global audience.

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