The upcoming Expendables 4 will give Iko Uwais the chance to rectify the failure and missed opportunity of his casting in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Iko Uwais was first discovered by director Gareth Evans and starred in his 2009 Indonesian martial arts film Merantau, followed by Evan's 2012 action classic The Raid and its 2014 sequel, which brought him to the attention of Western audiences. Showcasing his mastery of the martial art of Pencak Silat, Uwais quickly became a rising star of action cinema.
The Expendables franchise prides itself on casting the best action stars of the last 40 years, and few masters of the genre haven't been part of the ensemble so far. It was therefore logical that Uwais would join his peers at some point. The fourth entry is bringing back the main team of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture, while Iko Uwais has been cast as the villain. Apparently, Uwais's antagonist has a private army at his disposal, providing the necessary backdrop - and canon fodder - The Expendables series relies on for its action scenes.
Casting Iko Uwais as the primary antagonist in The Expendables 4 can also offer him another chance to show Western audiences what he's got to offer in a major franchise, after the mistake of Star Wars. When the producers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast Uwais there was much excitement among his fans over what his role would be. Unfortunately, the actor only appeared in one scene and essentially has nothing to do but stand in a hallway before being chased by a Rathtar. His role is just a cameo, with Han Solo commanding the audience's undivided attention. While it was no doubt meant as a fun wink to the audience (his Raid co-stars are also with him), it seems a mistake on the part of the filmmakers to have someone so talented on the set of Star Wars and not use them - especially as the scene turns into an action sequence shortly after his arrival.
History has shown that Hollywood often struggles to properly utilize international martial arts legends such as Iko Uwais. After dazzling in movies from their home countries, the transition to American cinema often sees them cast as generic villains (for example Tony Jaa in Furious 7, Jet Li in Lethal Weapon 4), or star in sanitized amalgamations of their greatest hits (Chow Yun-fat in Bulletproof Monk). Uwais has not been immune to this phenomenon either. His fight in Keanu Reeve's Man of Tai Chi is over much too quickly, and 2021's Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins came and went with very little noise. He got plenty of action in the Mark Wahlberg vehicle Mile 22, but even then the hyperactive editing ruined many of his fights.
Hopefully, The Expendables 4 will give Iko Uwais the opportunity to showcase his incredible talents against Sylvester Stallone’s Barry Ross and company, as well as put to rest the mistake of his Star Wars: The Force Awakens miscasting. The actor is at the top of his game and if he's allowed to cut loose and avoid the generic villain clichés, he could be the highlight of the upcoming sequel. Statham has posted a photo of the pair together on the set of The Expendables 4 looking worse for wear, indicating they'll have a showdown at some point, which bodes well.