If Sylvester Stallone hunting down all of these action stars, past and present, including Jet Li, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture to star in his upcoming action film The Expendables wasn’t enough, it appears that he had interest in bringing Jean-Claude Van Damme on-board as well.
However, in an interview with TotalFilm Van Damme revealed that he has turned down a starring role in the film because he says that Stallone was only interested in “pitching money and action.”
Here’s what he had to say:
“Stallone gave me a part in his next movie,” he [Van Damme] told us. “But I ask him about the subject, about the story.”
“He said, ‘You’re gonna make lots of money.’ I don’t want to hear that, I want to hear what was my character. He was unable to tell what it’s going to be.”
“[Stallone said:] ‘You know, uh, well, the fighting will be good.’ [So I said:] ‘Sly, what is my character?’ So I didn’t do the movie.”
I’m in kind of two minds about this one: On the one hand I don’t like the fact that Stallone repeatedly said that a lot of money will be made (which I think it will for the type of movie that it is, anyway), and seemed to be using that as the biggest incentive for Van Damme. With the cast that’s been assembled, along with those that were sought after but nothing more (such as Sandra Bullock), I was hoping that this would be a passion project for Stallone in particular. I’m not saying it still isn’t… After all he’s directing, writing and starring in it – but with those statements about money it makes it look like he’s hoping above all to make a quick buck.
However on the other hand what did Van Damme expect when he was offered a role? A deep, emotional, thought-provoking Oscar winner? With a bold name like The Expendables and a cast full of past and present action stars why did he expect it to be primarily about anything other than the action?
Maybe we’re seeing Van Damme turn a corner – since his JCVD a different side to the action movie legend has been shown. Maybe he doesn’t want to just make money now, maybe he wants to pursue other, perhaps more serious, avenues.
Overall though, I’m disappointed that Van Damme won’t be in the film, simply because it would’ve added another rung to what is shaping up to be a kick-ass action ladder.
But what’s your opinion? Do you think Van Damme should have accepted the role to be part of this awesome cast of fellow action stars or was he right for turning it down?
The Expendables is set to start shooting sometime next month.
Source: Total Film
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van damme is dumb. he hasnt made anything good in 15 years and he gets the chance to star in a movie that pays respect to the kind of movies that made van damme who he is. but on the other hand im glad he didnt bc now someone we actually give a damn about can take his place. it also should of been a big honor that sly personally called him and had him in mind for the role. its gonna be a good movie and even better that van damme is out
Stallone told JCVD that HE would make a lot of money. This sounded more like he was trying to intice VD to join the cast rather than thinking about making a quick buck off the movie.
Van Damme, much like Seagal, has been irrelevant for several years now. He definitely should have taken a role in the movie, it would’ve helped to boost his career and given people a chance to see him on the big screeb for the first time in over a decade.
Uhh, Van Damme did Universal Soldiers in 2009, so I’m gonna have to call B.S. on Van Damme’s story.
Kinda like when he first came to Hollywood and said he was a European kickboxing champion, which he wasn’t he was only a student of martial arts and a dancer. Hey who doesn’t beef up the resume, but looks like he’s still full of crap.
Van Damme (Van Varenberg back then) has an actual fight record of 18-2. Google.
That's a bunch of Bullsh*t! Van Dance has always been somewhat of an Obnoxious A**hole! He has always been a troublemaker and a Loud Mouth. Stallone is passionate about all of his films (including the stinkers). I find it hard to believe that Sly would assemble a cast of this magnitude with a lackluster script and story, C'mon… sounds like Sour Grapes to me from a Guy who's Ego was way too big to be part of an ensemble cast and now regrets the missed opportunity!
Who cares about the money???????? This film is supposed to be the epic of all action movies. i bet when Sly thought about doing Rambo he thought 'why cant films be the way they used to?', you know the ones i mean, Arnie in Commando running around with 1 gun and 1 clip of ammunition, but somehow managing to shoot 1000's of rounds and kill the bad guys. Arnie, Sly, Dolph and Jean are all getting to the point in there carears where doing ott old skwl action movies are just not practical and a bit too much. i think this film is like a bleesing, (bear with me), all the old big name actors are coming back for 1 last shout and going out with a bang, but at the same time, there showing a passover from Sly to Jet.
I think its gona be amazing, who cares about the money, i dont care how much Sly's getting, as long as i get what i want……an all star cast of Action Legends!!!!!!!
what a shame
he should be there last chance, never more will be such a movie made
i respect van damm for what he did. after seeing JCVD i understand. stallone kept talking about money van damm wanted to know about his character.
i respect van damm for what he did. after seeing JCVD i understand. stallone kept talking about money van damm wanted to know about his character.
bad call jean claude, very bad call.
how anyone could turn down Sylvester Stallone is beyond me.
Van Damme doesn’t need the movie nor does the movie need him. I think with van damnes statment that it sort of explains why he hasn’t been in the theaters. He’s been there done that,he’s been the biggest action star in the world and he must have done well with his money or else he would be in more theatrical releases. Van Damne makes millions a year on the royalties of movies he made 20-25yrs ago. His movies don’t hit theaters because they don’t need to he makes more money that way. Yes it wouldve been nice to see him in the movie but he didnt want it life goes on
“Damne makes millions a year on the royalties of movies he made 20-25yrs ago. His movies don’t hit theaters because they don’t need to he makes more money that way.”
I’d like to see the sources for those two contentions. I doubt his current day royalties for the movies that did hit the big screen during the 80s and 90s amount to millions annually and, if he was still top of the world, he’d surely command greater fees for theatrical releases today than he might receive from straight-to-video releases that certainly won’t be earning him anyway near millions another 20 or so years on.
i’m a big van damne fan and i think it’s great he’s trying to go a different direction with his career but i don’t think he should’ve turned down the expendables. this movie is kind of a last hoorah for most of these action stars and he should have been there to close the chapter on his action career as well.
also the film was made mostly for the fans
It seems to me that this only shows that Stallone thinks that Van Damme will only be interested in money, as he presented money as an incentive for Van Damme. Now, you’ve twisted it completely out of the context to show that Stallone is only interested in money, while Van Damme should have been only interested in money, based on the fact that his roles are skin deep.
Well, if you wanted to be accurate, you should have said that Van Damme should and is at least equally interested in the role as in the pay, while Stallone didn’t know that.
I was born in the late eighties, and to this day i remain a huge fan of Van Damme’s films. So when i first saw the commercial advertising the release of the upcoming action film “the expendables”, I couldn’t help wonder why Van Damme did not have a role. The writer of this article simply stated his opinion, which I respect. I do, however, think Van Damme should not be so picky at this point. That he wants to be a part of a story with substance, which i can’t say “the expendables” is lacking (haven’t seen it), I understand, but as someone who has followed his career and even been inspired, to some extent, by the stories in which he plays the protagonist, I am frustrated that I haven’t seen him in theaters…ever.
Yeah I dont understand stallone or producers for choosing steve austin when they have 5-10 better action stars. I really dont personaly like damme or segal after seeing thier A holish off screen antics.
Vihn Diesle, Dwayne the rock johnson, kurt russel or even clint eastwood who just did grand tarino would have been kickass in this film over horrid austin. damage was god awful,austin is like the worst action star since marc dacasto’s the other straight to dvd king.
stupid career decision for damme. get exposure, then make criticaly aclaimed action movies. your making action movies damme, not 12 academy award winning movies lololol.
This is a crying shame. I have said for years they should make one last action movie bringing all the greats from the past together and what does Van Damme do? Turn it down. Van Damme was my favourite of all the action stars and i would have loved to see him and Segal in one last movie. It would have been an instant classic, something to show our kids/grand kids many years from now. They should have swallowed there pride and done this one for the fans. Absolutely gutted about this!!!!
It is a big disappointment for me to see one of my greatest inspirational role models- Jean Claude Van-Damme, turn down a star studded movie like this !!! :,(
Luckily Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t as haphazard
I find it hard to believe that was all of the conversation and it’s content. If he was seriously wanted in this film there would have been more depth to the discussion. Van Damme does have a ‘hard to work with’ reputation and after the low budget movies he has been making the last few years I agree with others that he should have been asking them to allow him in. The association with such a cast would be enough for most.
Please take this role. You can do this.
agreed with whoever said that this is BS.
I dont really believe the same guy who did movies like double team and knockoff would turn down the last show for action stars of his time.
Its pretty much a kick in the nuts for all his fans over the years of bloodsport and universal soldier times.
Yeah, if he turned down the deal, big insult to the fans. But that likely didnt happen.
To the guy who does not believe Van Damme turned this film down go google. There is a video of him explaining why he turned down the film.
I was waiting for the punchline. Afterall, all of JCVD’s movies have been such deep character studies
Being a JCVD fan along with the rest of the legends, I was pretty disappointed that he didn’t take the role. Everybody who grew up watching these action stars will agree that a movie like this was what everyone dreamed of. It isn’t about the money, it isn’t about hollywood, it isn’t even about the movie it self, it’s about all the legends coming together and just HAVING FUN and giving the fans, old and young, something they never thought possible. Once in a lifetime opportunity and JCVD screws it. I swear this will be one of the top selling DVDs/Blu-Ray of all times.
I agree that Van Damme would have definitely added to the movie. However he does have the right to mature and decide what will be good for his career. Even John Travolta changed the style of movies he accepted. No one had anything much to say about that.
im a real big van damme fan watched him in movies with my old man wheni was young it sucks that stallone only went to make this movie only for the money i would have loved to have seen mr.kickboxer on screen but i can see his point but i dont plan on going to see this film mite as well download it much love to van damme.
Disapointed in Van Dam. Love his movies and his letting me down by not being in the expendable, I give him my respect for an Impressive and amazing career and now he lets me down. JCVD dont worry about your role its “The Expendables” Everyone in that has an awesome role and Stallone would not have let you down. Even arnie makes a small appearance and that adds an awesome amount of ultimateness to the movie. After this movie old school action becomes a part of history. Everybody lets pay our respect to the greats.
First, the other other hand which your article did not consider… that Stallone wasn’t giving away too much to Van D was because he was planning the biggest most star powered action movie of his career and didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag until the time was right. It should be obvious Van Damme was foolish to pass, he could have always backed out later but since his roles require such “depth” these days, maybe he’s busy working on Othello… the Kickboxer.
He should of done it, I think its ego talking on sly doing it for the money this movie was for the fans, and everyone knows it, It was a light hearted fun action movie, and from what i hear Bruce and Arnold appear as cameos, but did it for free! By their own choice! Thats what I call a special movie, gratitude…Hopefully Van Damme snaps out of it, and if we continue to support sly could do a sequel and maybe grab more ppl like Van Damme, Siegel Ryan Reynolds, Wesley Snipes? Samuel Jackson, Jesse Ventura?, Danny Trejo? Mark Wahlberg? The list goes on…and what was a good movie…
Why would any actor agree to make a movie without a script or any information? Stallone was a jerk.