Behind the Scenes: Why Schwarzenegger Said No to Expendables 4
Arnold Schwarzenegger's absence in The Expendables 4 has been attributed to factors beyond his control, including creative differences with the producers and scheduling conflicts The lackluster performance of Expendables 3 in the box office may have also played a role in his decision to opt out
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appeared in all three previous Expendables installments, recently revealed in an interview with Parade that he will not be returning for the upcoming fourth movie. Although he played a supporting role in the previous sequels, Schwarzenegger cited being "done with the franchise" as the reason for not reprising his role as Trench Mauser in The Expendables 4. The film, directed by Scott Waugh, will still feature returning stars Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Jason Statham.
Expendables 3 Could Have Contributed To Schwarzenegger's Departure
After participating in the first three Expendables movies, Bruce Willis decided to step back from the franchise. He explained, "It's done and I'm not in it. I said, 'You know what, we have done this and I'm out of it.' And [Stallone] really understood." Despite his decision to not continue with the series, Willis expressed gratitude towards Stallone, stating that he had initially taken part in the first film as a favor to him. While he may not be appearing in any future Expendables movies, Willis hinted at the possibility of collaborating with Stallone again in the future, saying, "We're going to do something together one day."
While Schwarzenegger has not provided specific reasons for his decision to not return for Expendables 4, his past remarks about the franchise suggest some insight. Despite having a more prominent role in the sequels, Schwarzenegger has openly expressed disappointment with the most recent film, which received negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office. This may have contributed to his decision to step away from the franchise.
Schwarzenegger previously expressed disappointment with his role as Trench in Expendables 3, stating that the character lacked value and was poorly written. He clarified that he would only return for Expendables 4 if the script did justice to his character. It is uncertain whether Schwarzenegger's decision to not return was based on dissatisfaction with the script or simply a change of heart. The Expendables 4 is set to introduce new characters, which may compensate for Schwarzenegger's absence.
Source: Parade
