I hope the title of this article didn’t mislead you into thinking there was a film actually called EXPENDABLE T-BAG, although that would be pretty badass. Don’t know what it means, but I bet Troma could do wonders with it. No, “expendable” refers to THE EXPENDABLES, the Sly Stallone-directed action flick – about a team of mercenaries overthrowing a South American dictator – starring Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham and Sly himself. The “T-Bag” refers to Robert Knepper: If you watch the show PRISON BREAK you’ll recognize Knepper as the heinous villain Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell. Knepper appears to be the latest actor boarding the project, although it isn’t definite. He spoke to Moviehole about being approached by producer – and Planet Hollywood co-owner – Robert Earl to star in the film:
It was like a little surreal moment last Friday night. The owner of Planet Hollywood comes up to me and says, ‘I love you on Prison Break. Want to do Sly’s next film?’ Maybe that’s how they do it in Vegas. You get together with these people and I’m like, ‘Sure. Let’s talk. Let’s meet him’. So that’s how it started. We’ll see where it goes.”
Knepper can also be seen in TRANSPORTER 3 and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL… He’s cool and all, but we really need at least one more action icon in there. We all know Jean-Claude pussed out because he’s only making semi-existential self-aware movies about himself nowadays, so what about getting a Seagal or a Norris in there? Hell, I’d settle for Jeff Speakman. I think.