Update: Sylvester Stallone has confirmed to AICN that The Expendables will be PG-13;
“The PG13 rumor is true,” Stallone writes, “but before your readers pass judgement, trust me when I say this film is LARGE in every way and delivers on every level. This movie touches on many emotions which we want to share with the broadest audience possible, BUT, fear not, this Barbeque of Grand scale Ass Bashing will not leave anyone hungry.”
Expendables Premiere (via Arrow in the Head) have translated Norris’s claims below as;
“In ‘Expendables 2,’ there was a lot of vulgar dialogue in the screenplay. For this reason, many young people wouldn’t be able to watch this. But I don’t play in movies like this,” Norris explained. “Due to that I said I won’t be a part of that if the hardcore language is not erased. Producers accepted my conditions and the movie will be classified in the category of PG-13.”
Released in 2010, The Expendables was a hyped up, explosions-heavy, bloody and foul mouthed R-Rated shoot ‘em up that featured an almost who’s who of testosterone jacked up veteran movie stars. We expected the sequel to go a step further and up the ante in almost all aspects and the hiring of names such as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris himself certainly hinted towards this, along with the new director Simon West (helmer of ramped up Con Air & The Mechanic) behind the camera. But for some reason, at least according to Norris, Stallone has toned it down to suit an actor who let’s face it, isn’t bringing too many more bums on seats to justify the change.
From the quotes above it’s the language and not necessarily the violence that Norris has objected too.
Norris has always portrayed the more family friendly aspects of the 80′s action stars and is proud of his patriotic status in films having saved America more times than Superman on film but his demands here should surely be dismissed by the studio & Stallone. Why would anyone want an Expendables sequel where you can’t say **********.
The Expendables 2 is due August 17th. Will it be a f**king or frikkin epic?
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6 Comments
The balls on Norris is unbelievable. Yeah I bet he puts on Invasion USA or the Hitman in front of his grandkids. ‘Hey kids did you enjoy that scene when Richard Lynch shoots Billy Drago’s lower regions to hell then throws his woman through a window?’
Old Sly should have told him to go back home, sit in his rocking chair by his fire and carry on his bible thumping. I and many others were looking forward to this film for the good old fashioned violence and absurd one liners, now the latter may still be there but the former has been shot thanks to Norris and his hypocrisy.
‘The more Family friendly aspects’ – I can’t agree with that. Yeah he was never too dark or brutal like a Rambo or the early Seagal flicks but we are still talking 15 and 18 rated films with more than decent body counts. I just don’t get this standpoint at all and no matter which way the great Sly spins it – the film will lose the over the top violence we were all looking forward to.
It seems in his old age Mr Norris forgot that he made movies like The Hitman, where he swears and blows the -surrendered- bad guy to smithereens without a blink of an eye. Hypocrisy in some people is unbelievable.
And what about that scene in the Arab restaurant, as politically incorrect as you’ll ever seen?
The Hitman is perhaps my favourite Norris film, alongside Invasion USA. I just don’t get why he’s adopted this ‘holier than thou’ attitude all of a sudden and forgotten what made him famous and wealthy in the first place.
maricon de chuck norris…………si stallone ya sabia esto era de q lo regrese a su casa y vaya a leer la biblia….a sus nietos…..y deje q las peliculas de accion sigan siendo de accion y no para nenas………..chuck norris una nena total…..para q se metio en la pelicula….esperemos q haya realmente accion sino sera una perdida de tiempo….tantas leyendas de accion….y gracias a norris van a tomar el té….mejor q se vaya norris
Yeah..what he says.
You tell em fran.
Yeah..what he says.