The Expendables series is one the biggest franchises that emerged in the 2010s. The 3rd Expendables movie was released in 2014, and now, after nine long years, fans are getting the fourth installment, Expend4bles. The movie franchise is known for its action-packed sequences and most of it is done without CGI, as actors have to perform some stunts themselves.
In some cases, these stunts can go horribly wrong, putting the life of a star in danger. That’s exactly what happened with Jason Statham, as he nearly drowned while filming Expendables 3. But thanks to his past diving experience, the actor was able to save himself.
Jason Statham nearly drowned while filming Expendables 3
There is a scene in Expendables 3 where actor Jason Statham‘s character and the rest of the crew escapes from the movie’s villain, Stonebanks’ men in a flatbed truck. The scene was shot in Bulgaria and during the rehearsals, the brakes on Statham’s truck suddenly stopped working and the truck broke the barricade and fell into the Black Sea. This caused huge panic on the sets as Statham was the only one in the truck.
Not many people know that Jason Statham is a former diver who competed for England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. So, swimming was not an issue for him. However, the thing that stopped him was his gun holster. It got snagged and caused the actor to panic, but thankfully, he was able to escape. The actor once talked about the accident,
“It’s a real recalibration of everything. From that day on, I’ve been so appreciative of life and being able to walk on the ground.”
He explained that it was “a nasty, nasty experience” but also added that it was “one that puts things in perspective.” Guess what Statham did after he rested and got dried up? He went back and shot the sequence again, this time with no errors.
Sylvester Stallone also got injured while filming Expendables 3
Sylvester Stallone, known for his action-packed movies, also got injured while filming Expendables 3. The actor once explained that he fell on the set, permanently damaging his back. He said,
“I had some metal put in there, so if you hear any squeaking, it’s not my shoes but my back. But I’m getting better.”
Thankfully, both the actors were fine, and now almost nine years later, they are back to give fans a new installment from the Expendables franchise. The trailer was dropped recently and the movie is all set to release on 22nd September 2023.
Source: Looper
