A “female-driven expansion” of “The Expendables” franchise, tentatively dubbed “Expendabelles,” is currently in development.
Eclectic Pictures and Hollywood Ventures Group joined forces on the new project that will be an origin story taking place in the late 1990s, against the backdrop of Y2K-era tension and global issues, according to The Hollywood Reporter. News of the upcoming movie was announced Friday at the Cannes Film Festival.
“There has always been a strong global appetite for female-driven action franchises, and we believe the time is now to introduce a bold new generation of elite operatives into this universe,” producer Heidi Jo Markel claimed.
HOLLYWOOD – AUGUST 03: Actor/director Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke arrives at the Premiere Of Lionsgate Films’ “The Expendables” at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 3, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Backed by Lionsgate, “Expendabelles” will spotlight a the all-female cast in “a stylized, action-driven cinematic event designed to expand the mythology of the franchise while standing firmly on its own,” filmmakers told The Hollywood Reporter.
“We are thrilled to finally bring Expendabelles to life alongside our incredible partners at Hollywood Ventures Group, who share our passion for reimagining this property on a much larger cinematic scale,” Markel said.
She continued, “What excites us most is the opportunity to elevate the material by pairing it with top-tier creative talent and delivering a fresh, stylish, adrenaline-fueled experience for worldwide audiences,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
HOLLYWOOD – AUGUST 03: President of the Motion Picture Group and co-COO Joe Drake, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, director/ writer/ actor Sylvester Stallone, actor Bruce Willis and CEO of Lionsgate Jon Feltheimer arrive at the premiere of Lionsgate Films’ “The Expendables” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 3, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Hollywood Ventures Group co-founder Glenn Gainor is set to produce alongside Markel, with executive producer credits going to HGV co-founder Sandy Climan, Thirteenth Studios’ Joe Smith, Nelly Kim, Kroll, Stephen R. Foreht and John Yarincik, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The team is “actively assembling” creative talent for the spin-off, with no word yet on casting hopefuls.
“We see this as an opportunity to honor the DNA of what made The Expendables resonate globally, while evolving it in a way that feels both timely and commercially compelling. This is a world audiences know, but we’re introducing them to it in a way they’ve never seen before,” Gainor told The Hollywood Reporter.
The original “Expendables” starred Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke and other top stars.(RELATED: Lady Gaga Leads Funeral Procession To Promote Movie In Demonic Promo Spectacle)
Later installments of the franchise included Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, Glen Powell, Antonio Banderas and Victor Ortiz.
Production deadlines and potential premiere dates were not disclosed.
Multiple all-female action films have proven to be flops in recent years. The 2022 female-focused film “The 355” grossed only $14.5 million in the U.S. and $13.2 million overseas, according to Box Office Mojo. The 2019 film “Charlies’ Angels grossed $73.2 million globally on a budget of around $48 million.