Summary

• Dolph Lundgren is open to returning for Expendables 5 if Sylvester Stallone is in charge and involved in the development.
• Stallone's creative direction and involvement in the scriptwriting were crucial to the success of the first two films in the franchise.
• A potential Expendables 5 needs Stallone's larger involvement to save the franchise and bring back original cast , restoring audience interest.

While the latest chapter has left the franchise's future in doubt, Dolph Lundgren is open to an Expendables 5 return on one condition. The action genre vet has starred in all four installments in the franchise as Gunner Jensen, one of the senior of the group of mercenaries and their heavy weapons expert. The Expendables served as the first major reunion between Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone after the former's breakthrough role of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, which he would later reprise for 2018's Creed II.

In anticipation of the release of his new action-thriller Wanted Man, Screen Rant interviewed Lundgren to reflect on his action genre history, including the Expendables franchise. After sharing his candid thoughts on why the fourth movie failed, Lundgren was asked if he would return for a potential Expendables 5, to which he expressed he is open for another installment, though with the caveat of a larger involvement from Stallone. Check out what Lundgren said below:

Yeah, if Sly's in charge, I think he's working on his version of another chapter with these guys. If he's in charge, then yeah, I'm sure it would be fun to work on it.

Stallone Directing Expendables 5 Is The Only Way To Save The Franchise

Across the first three movies in the franchise, Stallone had a pretty heavy hand in the creative direction of the Expendables movies. In addition to directing its debut installment, Stallone also co-wrote the script with future Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings co-writer David Callaham, whose story was behind the inception of the franchise. While Stallone would hand off the directorial reins for the rest of the sequels to different filmmakers, he still co-wrote the scripts for the first two, ensuring that they stayed true to the tone audiences came to know and love from the series.

The Expendables 2, which Stallone co-wrote with The Equalizer trilogy scribe Richard Wenk, remains the franchise's best-reviewed installment to date, holding a Fresh 67% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

With The Expendables 4, however, not only did Stallone the reins to a new director, but also had no involvement in the script writing, instead leaving it to Kurt Wimmer and duo Max Adams & Tad Daggerhart. Even in front of the camera, the three-time Oscar nominee had little involvement in the movie, having been seemingly killed off during the opening mission before emerging in the final moments with the reveal he had faked his death to lure the real villain out of hiding. Rumors had swirled that the sequel would serve as a ing of the torch between Stallone and Jason Statham, and the movie's plot largely played into this element.

Though a potential Expendables 5 could still work in continuing having Statham's Lee Christmas as the new leader of the team, Stallone having a larger involvement in the movie's actual development is key to whether it can save the franchise. The first three movies weren't critical darlings by any means, but with his writing, Stallone clearly understood the tongue-in-cheek tone required for the action franchise and balancing its large ensemble roster of characters. Should he actually step back into the director's chair for the movie, it could also be the selling point for many original cast who were absent from The Expendables 4 to properly return, and subsequently restore audience interest in the franchise.