THE EXPENDABLES (Sylvester Stallone, 2010)

[Moltisanti]

Agreed. Not too fond of that poster. It's sorely lacking that sweet skull graphic from the original one-sheet.

Lionsgate better kick things up a notch. They should be able to. Now that their lame looking flick THE KILLERS has opened they don't have another movie set to be released until THE EXPENDABLES. It's basically their only shot at a summer hit.

[Jox]

Ok: Thank you!

I was asking why in the Trailer very little one sees him, was thinking that his participation would be very small.

Yeah I think it was Jox who said that they want to keep his character as a bit of a surprise, so thats probably why they show as little as possible of him in the trailers.

That's right. It's hard to tell how much screen time he will have, but what's for sure is that his part is way bigger Mickey Rourke's for instance (who's barely gonna be much more than Arnold and Bruce), and much more important than his role in US3. That said there's gonna be huge gaps between his "memorable" appearances.

Yeah about the poster, Lionsgate is starting to worry me, I hope this isn't due to an excess of confidence in their product resulting in a lazy approach that only counts on the cast names and badass attitude to bring the crowds... will see...

[savagesketch]

As excited as I am for the film, it's pretty clear that Lionsgate is banking on the star power and nothing else to sell it. I think it's the cast that makes this movie above all of the other action films that are out there. Let's be honest... the story is nothing really groundbreaking... and I think Stallone is okay with that. I think Stallone put together the entire script with the idea in mind of getting an action-cast together. I'm just hoping for some hard-hitting fight scenes and action sequences that set a new bar and makes this one stand apart from all the other action flicks we've seen...

[Tom]

I hope they don't get lazy with their promo. I think one more really good trailer next month is needed, and some more press coverage.

I do think however that the interest for this has been good. Certainly more so than anything Sly's done in over 2 decades. There's way more buzz and excitement than the was for Rocky Balboa and Rambo 4.

I do think the superbowl spot was great. That'll really have sold the movie as a fun spectacle, along with the badass collective factor.

As things stand, I'm expecting a decent opening weekend for this. It should gross over 100 mill domestically too, depending on 2nd week drop off.

But like I say, a few nice final punchy trailers, tv spots, and some more promo in the last month before release, and this should make a lot of money.

[MFS]

I'm sure they will ramp up the marketing, starting in July, as they usually kick off only a month or so in advance with these big-budget films.

They seem to be basing their promotion on the hype surrounding the cast plus nostalgia, which is the way to go IMO, and I'm glad that they took the "risk" of allowing an "R"-rating, which can only be a good thing when it comes to movies like these. Financially, I believe it's a blessing that the Expendables is more of an action-comedy-adventure, since the serious "R"-rated thrillers doesn't seem be to doing that well at the box office (unfortunately). However, I agree that the final poster is too bright and looks a bit empty, needs either more dark or brown colours and perhaps the skull-with-a-thousand-weapons. Also, that teaser-trailer should have been released before the actual trailer, and the order of the credited cast rearranged, but still, nothing major to worry about.

I think The Expendables will do really well, considering the genre, as long as it delivers what it promises, which it should, if there's a God. If I were a guessing man, I would say that it opens to $30-35 million, and should break $100 million. In the U.S that is, could be equal or bigger overseas. Inglourious Basterds-numbers, kinda. That's the dream, anyway.

[Dragonrage]

Yeah...I have to agree abut the poster. Stills are fantastic!!!! There is a lot poster material among them. But I'm not sure about the poster! If that is FINAL FINAL poster then I don't like it that much...its to blank...but if is just one of the first one-sheets, then it nice...

Anyway...fora couple of months now I'm working on my own Expendables poster mad by hand. Didn't want to bother you guys here with that...but now I finally start working on Dolph, and I'm still working on Dolph, he is not finished, but this is how it look so far...

[Jox]

WOW amazing stuff Dragonrage! Can I ask which photo of Dolph are you using?

[Dragonrage]

WOW amazing stuff Dragonrage! Can I ask which photo of Dolph are you using?

The one from that Expendables B/W banner/poster...that you also have on you avatar. Only, I "flip" it horizontal...

[MFS]

Very impressive, Dragonrage! I like the explosion (if that is what I'm seeing, if not I apologize), wish we could have had atleast one on an official poster, since this is the kind of movie that demands explosions everywhere possible.

[Tom]

Those look brilliant. Great work man!

[Jox]

New EXPENDABLES comic preview, not clear if it's issue #2 or #3
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=5405

[Jox]

French teaser

[Jox]

Wallpapers on the Brazilian distributor's site
http://www.californiafilmes.com.br

[MFS]

Stallone says The Expendables is not only "R", but "crazy hard R."
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/45409

[Jox]

Yeah a friend working at the French distributor's saw the opening and told me that big D is doing some damage