After the success of the first and now second Expendables film it is obvious that Hollywood will use this franchise to not only revive the careers of older action stars but also help create new ones since Barney Ross is always looking for a few good men & women to fight the good fight. Here are the top five action stars we would like to see appear in a future Expendables installment.
10. Steven Seagal– No one was more iconic in the 90’s then the pony tailed aikido master. With solid fight choreography and great one liners he can make a welcome addition to the cast. Honestly I’d cast him as a bad guy.
9. Carl Weathers – I honestly have no idea why he was never used. He’s had numerous iconic action roles including the cult classic Action Jackson. His work with both Stallone and Schwarzenegger should have made him eligible. Terry Crews does great work in these films but Weathers should have been in his role.
8. Mel Gibson – The addition of Mel Gibson was mixed for me due to him being a head case but his body of work in the action genre swayed me to add him. His work as Martin Riggs alone makes him a shoe in.
7. Wesley Snipes – While we all know that Avi Lerner would like to cast him I stand by the fact that Snipes needs to be in these films. He’s right up there with Seagal as a major player during the action era of the 90’s with memorable roles in Passenger 57 , Money Train and who can forget his work with Stallone in Demolition Man as the memorable and quotable Simon Phoenix
6. Don “The Dragon” Wilson – During the 90’s I saw more films with Don Wilson then I care to remember. He is the undisputed king of straight to DVD martial arts films. His work in the Bloodfist series was always a favorite of mine.
5. Billy Blanks – While I am sure many of you associate Blanks with Tae Bo you’ll want to know that he was another straight to video king with a resume that includes such gems as Balance of Power, TC 2000 and a favorite from my childhood King of the Kickboxers
4. Bolo Yeung – No man was more iconic or physically imposing than Bolo Yeung growing up. Chong Li in Bloodsport still remains his best role but Bolo is a man who’s been in the game a long time. Many of you may not know that he shared the screen with the legendary Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon. Bolo Yeung is the quintessential bad guy.
3.Tony Jaa – I went on record on the fan page talking about Jaa’s involvement in the Expendable series. While American audiences know his work from Ong Bak and The Protector the fact that he’s never worked in a U.S production is a damn shame.
2. Cynthia Rothrock – This can’t be an all male affair and no woman is more iconic in the action genre than Cynthia Rothrock. She has black belts in five martial arts disciplines and can hold her own in any fight. Her action resume should have made her a potential cast member from the start.
1. Jackie Chan – No explanation need for Jackie’s involvement. This should sum it up
Honorable mentions to Michael Jai White, Jeff Speakman, Kurt Russell, Danny Trejo and Antonio Banderas.
