The Unbelievable Method That Expendables 4 Director Employed to Overcome Antonio Banderas' Absence: A Pivotal Ingredient for Hilarious Moments

Summary

Director Scott Waugh explains Antonio Banderas' absence in The Expendables 4 due to availability, but assures that Galan provides similar comedic elements as Galgo.

The exclusion of Banderas' character in The Expendables 3 is compensated by the addition of Galan, portrayed by Jacob Scipio.

The Expendables 4 also does not feature prominent actors Wesley Snipes and Harrison Ford, while Sylvester Stallone has a reduced role. Additionally, the film introduces several fresh faces to the cast.

The Expendables 4 director, Scott Waugh, discusses how they addressed Antonio Banderas' absence in the movie. Banderas played the beloved character Galgo in The Expendables 3, but was unable to return for the latest installment. In The Expendables 4, Galgo's role is taken over by his son, Galan, portrayed by Jacob Scipio. Waugh praised Scipio's performance and explained that they reworked Galgo's dialogue to fit the new character. According to Waugh, Banderas' character was key to the comedic moments in the franchise.

Banderas Isn't The Only Actor Missing In Expendables 4

The challenge of working with a large number of celebrities always complicates actor availability. That particular character was originally intended for Antonio, but due to his scheduling conflicts, he couldn't participate in the movie. However, we didn't want to discard the dialogue and character because they played a crucial role in the comedic moments. To maintain the essence of the role while introducing something fresh, we had the idea of making the character Antonio's son. This allowed us to maintain the same overall vibe while also creating a distinct character who wouldn't be a replica of Antonio. To bring this character to life, we brought in Jacob Scipio, who did an excellent job in the movie.

Banderas' character in The Expendables 3 brought humor by fabricating his identity to meet Ross and eagerly volunteering for missions. As Galgo officially joined the team by the movie's end, fans might be disappointed to see his absence this time. However, Waugh assures that Galan possesses similar traits, allowing The Expendables 4 to infuse comedic elements into diverse scenarios.

Banderas isn't the only high-profile actor missing from The Expendables 4; Wesley Snipes and Harrison Ford, who played Doctor Death and Max Drummer respectively, are also absent. In addition to Galgo, other new recruits from The Expendables 3 like Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, and Glenn Powell didn't return as team members, despite being suggested in the previous installment.

The latest installment sees only a handful of returning stars, and even Stallone's role was reduced. Alongside Scipio, joining the cast of The Expendables 4 are Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Levy Tran, Megan Fox, and Andy García. The possibility of The Expendables 5 remains uncertain, but it would be interesting to see Banderas reprise his role now that Galan has been introduced.

Source: ComicBook.com