While there’s been a lot of back and forth regarding Sylvester Stallone’s plans to direct THE EXPENDABLES 2 (most recently we heard he was set to helm again), this sounds like the final word. Via Deadline.com, one of the more reliable sites on this crazy internet thing of ours, we see that Sly is adamantly denying that he’ll be sitting in the director’s chair for E2.
That said, according to the site, Stallone “is heavily involved in putting together a list of directors to helm the second installment.”
While it’s a shame that Stallone won’t be behind the camera once again, it’s good to know that he’s still a major force on the project. Actually, let’s face it, nothing’s going down on this flick without his say so. What does surprise me is that he didn’t write it (reportedly the screenplay was penned by David Agosto and Ken Kaufman). Again, I’m sure Stallone is on top of every thing that goes down behind the EXPENDABLES 2 scenes, but it definitely looks like he wants to take a less-taxing role here, content to let others handle some of the heavy lifting.
In any case, THE EXPENDABLES 2 is scheduled to hit theaters in AUGUST of 2012. Stallone will first star in Walter Hill’s HEADSHOT, co-starring Thomas Jane.
Giselle Itie, from the first EXPENDABLES