Sylvester Stallone may have taken many forms in his lifetime and accomplished a great deal in his career, but the measure of success is always accurate when pitted against other contemporaries. Despite the career he has boasted of for the past 60 years in Hollywood, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Arnold Schwarzenegger, both of whom arrived much later than Stallone, have witnessed an incredible rise in their professional venture insomuch as turning into legends in their own lifetimes.
So when pitted against each other, the rivalry between these three action heroes not only exists on-screen but beyond that as well. And while the war between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone has been well-documented, the one waged between the latter and Jean-Claude Van Damme is not so popular with the audience.
Jean-Claude Van Damme vs. Sylvester Stallone: A Preview
What happens in Vilena stays in Vilena, but the same cannot be said for Jean-Claude Van Damme and his fellow action star, Sly Stallone. The latter had worked for decades prior to Van Damme’s arrival to build an enduring and lasting legacy for himself. The film franchises Rocky and Rambo are worth billions in revenue and box office return, and after having contributed to both single-handedly, it was evident that the Oscar-winning actor and screenplay writer would want to aim bigger for his third big franchise, The Expendables.
However, Jean-Claude Van Damme was not too sure about the initiative. The actor’s primary concern was not regarding the film’s potential to be successful by box office standards. Instead, his intentional humiliation of Sylvester Stallone caused him a spot at the commercially successful franchise. In an interview, the two came to a head when Van Damme claimed, “Sly, I think you are above this. Why are you making this movie?” Stallone, in a bid to pitch his film, did reveal his confidence behind the film but also recounted what went down soon after:
“’Well, I think it’s financially sound, and it’s what we do, Jean-Claude.’ He goes, ‘I believe you are at the point in your life where you should play a priest in East L.A. helping young people.’ I go, ‘A priest? Does he carry a gun?’”
Stallone followed up the retort by labeling Van Damme an idiot and offering his part to another actor. The latter, after the commercial reception of the 2010 film later returned in the sequel in an antagonistic role.
Sylvester Stallone Ends His Run as Lead With Expend4bles
Despite what Jean-Claude Van Damme had believed nearly 13 years earlier, the Expendables franchise managed to surpass expectations and spawn 3 subsequent sequels that follow the adventures of the mercenary team helmed by Sly Stallone’s Barney Ross. However, 13 years after the beginning of it all, Stallone has had enough and is ready to hang his sash as the team leader for good. As such, the upcoming film and fourth overall installment in the franchise, Expend4bles witnesses the veteran action star in a much-reduced capacity in the film’s plot as Barney Ross.
With Stallone retiring, his second-in-command, Jason Statham is expected to take over the franchise as Lee Christmas. The actor has been hands-on with the production of the fourth film well after its filming was complete. Expend4bles will also witness the entry of Andy Garcia into the franchise as a CIA agent alongside other new additions to the cast, including Megan Fox and 50 Cent.
Expend4bles premieres in theatres on September 22, 2023.
Source: DuJour
