With a brand new live-action Masters Of The Universe hitting screens soon on the 2026 movie schedule, I decided I should go back and watch the first live-action adaptation of the cartoon/toy line. It’s a movie I haven’t seen in, well, almost 40 years. I saw it in theaters in the ‘80s, and I’ve never revisited it. The only thing I remembered about the movie was that I actually remembered nothing about it, except standing by the poster at the theater where I saw it. So how was it? Well, I’ve got thoughts.

It Was A Legendary Flop

Masters Of The Universe, starring Dolph Lungren as He-Man and a young Courteney Cox as a teenager from Earth caught up in the battle between good and evil on Eternia, was a notorious box office bomb when it was released in the summer of 1987. Sure, critics mostly hated it, but they weren’t the target demo. I was. I was 11 years old that summer, and I was the prime target for the movie, having already spent years coming home right after school to watch the cartoon and play with the action figures. Though, to be honest, I was always a much bigger fan of GI Joe.

The problem was, I hated the movie. Well, I think I hated it. As I said, I don’t remember it, but I also never went back to watch it again, so at a minimum, it wasn’t worth a rewatch. This was an era in my life when I rewatched movies I loved over and over again. Master of the Universe wasn’t good enough to find its way into my rotation. I remember being excited for it. I was a fan of Lundgren from Rocky IV, and I knew the cartoon well, but I understand why the movie flopped, because that wasn’t enough to keep me excited about it.

It’s Not That Bad

I’m not going to make a case for Masters of the Universe to be added to the Library of Congress or anything, but I was surprised that it was better than I anticipated. Sure, the special effects are pretty terrible, and Lundgren’s performance is completely flat, but I think the filmmakers made some solid choices, and the movie is pretty fun. Not good, but not bad, either. It’s not deserving of its terrible reputation, at least.

I thought it was smart for writer David Odell and director Gary Goddard to set most of the action on Earth, in small-town USA. That meant they didn’t have to recreate the fantasy planet of Eternia. In fact, almost all of the action on Eternia is in Castle Greyskull’s throne room. With the limited amount of special effects that they had at their disposal, this was a pragmatic decision.

I also love that for most of the movie, it’s kind of a caper, with all the characters chasing after the film’s MacGuffin, a key that frankly had a purpose that was pretty garbled. The key changes hands multiple times, and often characters arrive just minutes too late to reacquire it. It makes the movie super fun. Frank Langella, who plays Skeletor, is also super fun, as he is just chewing the scenery in the best way possible throughout the whole movie. Jared Leto has a lot to live up to!

The new Masters of the Universe is just around the corner, and with the early reactions being mostly very positive, I’m getting excited to see it and how it compares to this one.

Chuck Norris made himself into a legend of the large and small screens alike over the many decades of his career, and the death of the Walker, Texas Ranger vet prompted many celebrities to speak out with tributes to him. Ranging from fellow action stars of the 20th century like Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme to horror master Stephen King himself, the people mourning his death shared kind words in his memory.

The family of Chuck Norris confirmed that the "sudden" death of the acting legend occurred on March 19, with a statement that they would "like to keep the circumstances private" but also letting well-wishers know that he "was surrounded by his family and was at peace." He died less than two weeks after his 86th birthday, not too long after he was still providing octogenarian workout updates.

Those who knew and respected Norris wasted no time in penning tributes to him on social media after the sad news broke, with Sylvester Stallone sharing this via Instagram in honor of his The Expendables 2 costar:

Fellow Expendables franchise vet Dolph Lundgren, who is making headlines again for his work on the original Masters of the Universe movie, also took the time to share a photo and a kind message. He posted:

Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was name-dropped by Cody Rhodes for his Street Fighter work, is an action star of the same era that produced Chuck Norris... and yet another actor credited with an appearance in The Expendables 2. He wrote on Instagram:

Of course, Norris' body of work didn't just touch the people who he worked with on the big screen, as author Jack Carr made clear on social media as well. Carr wrote The Terminal List source material that inspired Chris Pratt's show of the same name (available streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription). The former U.S. Navy Commander-turned-writer shared:

Lee Majors, another 20th century TV legend as the star of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Fall Guy, reflected on his time working with Chuck Norris. While Majors may be best remembered for his more prominent projects, he did appear in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger back in 1998. He wrote on Instagram:

While the late actor is obviously remembered for his body of work in film and television, some people who have never seen an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger, a single second of Firewalker, or witnessed the reunion of action stars in the Expendables franchise may be familiar with him for the genre of humor known as Chuck Norris jokes. Stephen King himself honored Norris on X (formerly known as Twitter) by choosing his two top Chuck Norris jokes:

• "My fave Chuck Norris joke: Chuck doesn't flush the toilet, he scares the shit out of it."
• "Second fave: When he was born, Chuck Norris drove his mother home from the hospital."

Two solid choices from the author! Stephen King, who recently shared high praise for Paradise Season 2, also got serious to name one particular movie that he thinks is "great."

Considering that Stephen King has been scaring the hell out of people going back to the publication of Carrie in 1974, his comment about a somewhat obscure film scaring his kids is a pretty high compliment. All in all, the messages celebrating Norris' life and accomplishments make it feel all the more appropriate that his final post on his own Instagram account prior to the announcement of his death was filled with action:

It's a safe bet that there are plenty more tributes on the way in the wake of Chuck Norris' death, although hopefully the family's request for privacy will be honored. If you want to check out the show that helped solidify his legacy as an actor, you can find Walker, Texas Ranger streaming free on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV.

There are three months to go until Masters of the Universe is released on the 2026 movies schedule and introduces the world to Nicholas Galitzine’s version of He-Man. The last time this franchise was adapted for film was the 1987 movie of the same name, where Dolph Lundgren brought He-Man to life. Nearly 40 years later, rumor has it that Lundgren will also be present in this reboot, but his role is rather surprising.

No, the new Masters of the Universe isn’t getting in on the multiverse craze by having Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man meet his older counterpart from another universe. Instead, He-Mania reports that Dolph Lundgren will play someone whom Galitzine’s Adam interacts with at the fitness gym he works out in. The outlet says that Lundgren’s character will give Adam some “some life advice,” and when their conversation ends, he’ll tell the young man “Good journey.” That’s the same thing that Teela and Man-At-Arms said to Julie Winston in the 1987 movie.

Assuming this information is accurate, this is a nice way to include Dolph Lundgren in the new Masters of the Universe and subtly pay tribute to his time as He-Man. Sure, it would have been great if he’d played a denizen of Eternia, but don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Of course, the fact that Lundgren is appearing at all in the reboot isn’t totally shocking, as he was cagey, but not dismissive when commenting on his potential involvement in October.

Dolph Lundgren’s been no stranger to high-profile theatrical releases over the last decade. In 2018, he reprised his Rocky IV role of Ivan Drago in Creed II, as well as appeared as King Nereus in Aquaman. That was followed by him voicing Svengeance in Minions: The Rise of Gru in 2021, and then in 2023, he both reprised Nereus in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and returned as Gunnar Jensen for Expend4bles. He most recently starred with Stephen Lang and Harvey Keitel in the action-thriller Hellfire, which was released February 17.

As far as Masters of the Universe’s main cast goes, Nicholas Galitzine is joined by Camilia Mendes as Teela, Jared Leto as the faithful-adapted Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress and Kristen Wiig as Robot, among others. Bumblebee and Missing Link’s Travis Knight directed the reboot, and Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and David Callaham all worked on the script. Amazon MGM Studios will release Masters of the Universe in theaters on June 5.

When it comes to my personal ranking of all the Rocky movies, Rocky IV is easily in the Top 3 of the franchise. The story of Rocky Balboa traveling to the Soviet Union to battle Ivan Drago to avenge his dead friend is iconic. To the point where if such a bout really happened in 2025, I'm sure a small fortune would go into making the world watch it with a Netflix subscription.

Another element that would be around in 2025 is betting odds, and while I know there are some strong opinions on how much its intertwined with the world of professional sports, I'm only human. As such, I couldn't help but be intrigued when a site provided the sportsbook numbers for this movie, and it has made me appreciate the film a lot more.

The Betting Odds Were Heavily In Drago's Favor

I want to think Rocky IV does a solid enough job explaining that Ivan Drago is the odds-on favorite to beat Rocky Balboa, but the numbers from Oddspedia really show just how much of a massacre this fight was expected to be. In a hypothetical analysis of the battle (meaning they're pretending they don't know the ending and treating this as an actual bout), Drago was given odds of -250 to win. This means he had an implied winning probability of 71.4%, which I can understand, given that he killed Apollo Creed.

As if that weren't enough, the odds of Drago winning by knockout are at -175, meaning there was a 63.6% implied chance that he would drop The Italian Stallion and lower the Iron Curtain. With wordplay like that, I'm saddened that CinemaBlend's Phillip Sledge didn't work that in as a factor in his showdown between Rocky III and IV.

No One Would Have Expected This Fight To Go The Distance

If betting apps were prevalent in 1985, oddsmakers would've been sweating at the outcome of the Balboa vs. Drago fight. Absolutely no one expected this fight to go the distance, with the odds of Drago being a winner by decision at +1000 (9.1% odds) and Rocky winning at +2000 (4.8%).

For those unfamiliar with betting, it means that if someone places a $100 bet on Rocky to win by decision, and that happens, they'd have a total of $ 1,100 in winnings. I can imagine there would've been a sigh of relief in Vegas when Rocky knocked out Drago in the final round, which only carried odds of +220. In comparison, that's a significantly smaller payout, with those staking $100 earning $320 in winnings.

In hindsight, it's probably a good thing that sports betting wasn't as prevalent when the Rocky movies came out. Paulie would've lost all of the fighter's money a lot quicker than he did, probably by hedging some of his brother-in-law's money on a Drago knockout. Or, he'd get tied up with the mob and try to convince Rocky to take a fall or something.

Rocky IV is available to rent on Amazon, and with a Prime subscription, there are plenty of other great movies to watch on the video platform. November is one of my favorite times to watch the Rocky movies, and it is always a great conversation starter with other family members when we gather for Thanksgiving.

Dolph Lundgren isn’t ruling out a return to Eternia just yet. With a brand-new Masters of the Universe live-action reboot on the way, fans have been speculating whether the original He-Man from the 1987 cult classic might make a surprise appearance. And according to Lundgren himself the answer is maybe.

In a recent sit-down with Extra, Lundgren was asked directly if he’d be suiting up for a cameo in the new film. His response? Cagey, for sure, but not dismissive. He responded:

Classic non-answer, but one that fans are already reading between the lines of. With legacy cameos now basically standard in big-budget reboots, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Lundgren show up in some capacity. A quick nod, a mentor moment, a multiverse glitch? Any of it would work. He’s the original live-action He-Man after all, the man who made “I have the power!” a VHS-era battle cry.

The Extra interview wasn’t just about He-Man, though. Lundgren also opened up about his 2025 schedule release documentary, Dolph: Unbreakable, which dives into his decades-long career, his battle with cancer, and his personal life, including his relationship with his much-younger wife, Emma. Now three years cancer-free after a 2015 kidney cancer diagnosis, Lundgren told the outlet he’s in a good place physically and emotionally, crediting his wife for helping him stay positive through it all. He added:

And thankfully, he did make it. The Rocky IV star looks as healthy as ever and would fit right in with the larger-than-life world Mattel built.

What we know about the Master of the Universe reboot, after years in development limbo, the flick is finally making its return to the big screen. The new live-action reboot from Amazon, MGM Studios, and Mattel Films is set to hit the 2026 movie schedule on June 5, 2026, and yes, it’s a full-scale revival of Eternia, Castle Grayskull, and the most jacked alter ego in toy history.

This time around, Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) takes up the Power Sword as Prince Adam/He-Man, leading a star-studded cast that includes Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, and James Purefoy as King Randor. Jared Leto is also playing Skeletor, and the supporting cast features Sam C. Wilson (Trap Jaw), Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Goat Man), and Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, with Community’s Sasheer Zamata and Miguel Wants to Fight’s Christian Vunipola playing new characters created for the film.

Travis Knight, who directed Bumblebee and the Oscar-nominated (and one of Laika's best movies) Kubo and the Two Strings, is at the helm, with a script from ParaNorman writer Chris Butler. Production wrapped earlier this year, and from the early buzz and behind-the-scenes details, the scale sounds massive... as it should be for a property this iconic.

This will be only the second live-action Masters of the Universe film, following Lundgren’s '80s cult classic, a film that flopped on release and is often considered one of the worst toy-to-movie adaptations, but that has gained nostalgic cult status over the years. This new version is being positioned as a true franchise-starter, likely boosted by the recent success of Barbie and the growing Mattel Cinematic Universe.

We’ll have to wait until summer 2026 to see if this MotU adaptation has made room for OG He-Man in a surprise role. Until then, you can check out the most recent adaptation of the property, an animated Masters of the Universe series, available with a Netflix subscription.

Many of the biggest action stars of all time, in the best action movies, got their start in the 1980s and 1990s when action movies really started to dominate Hollywood. Stars like Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and Keanu Reeves all started making their mark in those seminal decades in film. This gallery is a tribute to all the action stars who are still making movies today, but began their careers decades ago.

Keanu Reeves

While he broke out in comedies like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Parenthood, it wasn't long before Keanu Reeves was starring in big action flicks like Point Blank and Speed. Reeves isn't just an action star, but with the lead in two now-iconic franchises, The Matrix and John Wick, he definitely belongs near the top of any list like this.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's career started early. She was just 6 years old when she appeared in her first movie in 1982 alongside her dad, Jon Voight. By the late '90s, she was on her way to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. She got into action movies with films like Gone In 60 Seconds and her biggest franchise, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and while she has always kept one foot in more indie-type movies (including as a director), she's been a steady action star for decades.

Nicolas Cage

It's hard to come up with a Hollywood star with a more diverse acting career than Nicolas Cage. His rage is actually pretty amazing, and that certainly includes starring in some great action movies, like the iconic Con Air and the National Treasure movies.

Scarlett Johansson

Like a lot of actors on this list, Scarlett Johansson can't be pigeon-holed as simply an action star. She is, however, one of the major players in the MCU as Black Widow, and has starred in other action flicks like Jurassic World Rebirth and Lucy.

Wesley Snipes

Most of the biggest box office successes of Wesley Snipes' early career were comedies like Major League, Wildcats, and White Men Can't Jump. In the early '90s he transistioned into action movies with leading roles in the likes of New Jack City, Passenger 57, and Rising Son. He also starred in Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone, and, of course, as Blade in three movies.

Halle Berry

You might not think of Halle Berry as an action star... until you remember how many superhero movies she's starred in. Not only was she an important part of the X-Men franchise, but she was also Batwoman in 2004 and has also starred in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and others.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

This one is a little tricky. Technically, action movie legend Arnold Schwarzenegger had his first role way back in 1970 with Hercules in New York, but that was really a one-off B-movie that was soon forgotten. After he spent the 1970s winning every bodybuilding trophy on Earth, he entered Hollywood properly in 1982 when he starred in Conan the Barbarian. Everything since is action history.

Robert Downey, Jr.

Robert Downey, Jr. doesn't jump off the page as an action star. The Oscar winner has proven he can star in any genre, but as the anchor of the MCU movies for more than a decade, he definitely belongs on this list.

Tom Cruise

There's nothing to be said about Tom Cruise that hasn't already been written, right? One of the biggest stars in Hollywood history, Cruise has starred in action movies like Top Gun and its sequel, a couple of Jack Reacher movies, the Mission: Impossible franchise, and great one-offs like Edge of Tomorrow, War of the Worlds, and Minority Report, to name just a few. Plus, he famously does a ton of his own stunts, which shows just how much he belongs on any list of big action stars.

Milla Jovovich

Milla Jovovich started as a model, but transitioned to movies with films like Return to the Blue Lagoon and Dazed and Confused. Soo,n though, she started popping up in legendary action movies like The Fifth Element and, most notably, as Alice in six Resident Evil movies.

Jean-Claude Van Damme

In the '80s, a whole slew of action-first stars emerged, and one of the most popular was Jean-Claude Van Damme. Van Damme first gained fame in No Retreat, No Surrender, and followed that with hits like Bloodsport and Cyborg.

Linda Hamilton

Director James Cameron can be divisive, but you can't argue that he knows how to create female action star leads with great parts and great casting. Linda Hamilton is a legend from her appearances in the Terminator movies over the years.

Kurt Russell

Okay, we have to acknowledge that Kurt Russell's career started when he was a child star with Disney way back in the 1960s. In the '80s, he fully dove into action flicks in a big way with movies like Escape from New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China, all directed by one of the decade's best directors, John Carpenter. He's since been in a slew of action movies.

Mel Gibson

With the Mad Max franchise and the Lethal Weapon movies, Mel Gibson would be on this list even if those were his only movies. Of course, he has so much more, like Braveheart, Ransom, and many of the other best action movies of the '90s.

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton debuted in 1991's comedy Flirting, and in the '90s and beyond, she's starred in action movies like Mission: Impossible 2, The Chronicles of Riddick, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and 2012. She's also starred in TV shows like Westworld that fit in this genre, too.

Dolph Lundgren

One of the pillars of cheesy (and awesome) '80s action is the great Dolph Lundgren. From fantasy heroes like He-Man in 1987's Masters of the Universe to communist boxers like Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, he's been a staple for decades in lots of action movies, including part of the O.G. cast in The Expendables franchise.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu kicked off her career in the early '90s, and before too long, she started doing some awesome action movies. Probably the most notable are the Charlie's Angels movies and the Kill Bill movies, but she's also got some less-well-known ones like The Man with the Iron Fists, directed by RZA, and even superhero movies, like Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Jason Statham

Like other actors on this list, Jason Statham didn't start in true action flicks. His first roles were in the Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, but within a couple of years, he became a full-blown action hero in The Transporter and The Italian Job. Now it seems like he's in all the biggest action franchises, like The Expendables and the Fast & Furious movies.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood. She won an Oscar for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the terrifying true story Monster. She's also been in acclaimed dramas like The Road, Cider House Rules, and Bombshell. Of course, she's starred in a whole slew of great action movies like Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Æon Flux, and a few of the Fast & Furious movies.

Jet Li

Jet Li started out in movies in Hong Kong in the early 1980s, where he quickly established himself as one of the great martial arts stars in Chinese-language films. After a decade and a half in Hong Kong, he moved to Hollywood in the late '90s, starring first as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998. He became such a big action star that he was included in the first three Expendables movies.

Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner might not seem like the typical action star, but he definitely is. Movies like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Postman, and the incredibly underrated Waterworld prove that when he wants to be, he can be a great action hero.

Michelle Yeoh

Like some other actors on this list, Michelle Yeoh starred in martial arts movies in Hong Kong in the '90s. Her breakout film in the West was as Wai Lin in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, where she showed the whole world her stage fighting and stunt skills. Since then, she's been in hits like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and, of course, Everything Everywhere All at Once, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Bruce Willis

There's no way this list would be complete without the great Bruce Willis! Die Hard will always be one of the best action movies of all time and in many ways helps define what a action movie in the 1980s looked and felt like. Only Willis could have pulled off the the wit and charm of John McClane. He's been in a ton of action movies since, of course. He is now retired, due to his health, but he worked right up until he no longer could.

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz took a long hiatus from acting, finally returning in the 2025 Netflix release, appropriately called Back in Action. While she may be best known for her roles in romcoms like There's Something About Mary and The Mask and dramas like Gangs of New York and Vanilla Sky, she's had her fair share of action hits too, like Charlie's Angels and Knight and Day.

Steven Seagal

It's easy to forget just how huge an action star Steven Seagal was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He actually sort of dominated the box office with movies like Hard To Kill, Above The Law, Mark For Death, and Out For Justice. He reached the artistic pinnacle of his career with 1992's Under Siege. It's not just a great movie for teenage boys like his first four movies; it's legitimately a great movie, with great performances from Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Busey. Sure, he's not making movies on that level anymore, but he's still been churning out straight-to-video-type releases for decades.

Peter Weller

Peter Weller's breakout came in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension in 1984, but he really hit the big time with 1987's classic RoboCop. Sure, it was insanely violent, but RoboCop had a unique political message, too. Weller's been going strong ever since.

Robert Patrick

The iconic T-1000 in Terminator 2 became one of the great action villains of the 1990s. Robert Patrick played the role of the callous, cold robot killer perfectly. It established him as a legit action star, and he's been busy ever since.

Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke isn't only an action star. In fact, most of his roles have been in serious dramas, starting with movies like The Pope of Greenwich Village and 9½ Weeks in the 1980s, but he's definitely proven his action bona fides with roles in Iron Man 2, Sin City, and The Expendables.

Matt Damon

Anyone who has starred as Jason Bourne in four films deserves to be on this list. Sure, Matt Damon might not be the first actor you think of as an action hero, but come on! You can't deny that he belongs on this list for those films alone. Throw in movies like The Martian and Elysium, and he definitely should be here.

Dwayne Johnson

We're making a slight exception here. Technically, Dwayne Johnson's first movie credit came in 2001 in The Mummy Returns, but he had been quite famous for years for his work in the WWE throughout the 1990s. So while he didn't get his start in movies until later, he was a well-established star years before that. Of course, in the two and a half decades since his first movie role, he's become one of the biggest action heroes of all time.

Zoe Bell

This is another interesting case. Zoe Bell's first acting role in a movie was in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof in 2007. However, she had already built a legendary career as a stunt woman going back to the 1990s. With the Academy Awards (finally) adding a trophy for best stunts, we're going to include Bell here, because she's been performing in movies for decades.

Will Smith

He started as a rapper, then got into acting with comedy, and in the '90s, Will Smith became a big action star with movies like Independence Day, Bad Boys, and Men in Black. He's proven to be a very versatile actor over the years, starring in every genre of film you can think of.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced an entire generation of superhero movie fans to some of the comic book publishing giant’s most iconic characters, such as Iron Man and Thor. However, many of the heroes and villains we know from those Marvel movies in order have found their way to the big or small screen. Let’s honor some of the actors who brought them to life before they were inducted into the MCU.

Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man)

Some Marvel Comics fans have criticized the casting of Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, considering he was far older than when Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive arachnid at the time. While Tom Holland certainly fit the bill of a teenage vigilante better years later, Maguire is still remembered today as one of the best to play the role. Not to mention, he wore, arguably, the best cinematic Spidey outfit of all time.

Jessica Alba (Invisible Woman)

Following her Golden Globe-nominated breakthrough role on Dark Angel, Jessica Alba could be seen just about everywhere in the early 2000s. Ironically, she made her comic book movie debut in Tim Story's Fantastic Four as a superhero known for being unseen: Sue "Invisible Woman" Storm, who would be inducted into the MCU with Vanessa Kirby's portrayal.

Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Ben Affleck would make an amusing, if not polarizing, impression when he joined a long line of live-action Batman actors for Zack Snyder's short-lived DC Extended Universe. More than a decade earlier, the Oscar winner cut his teeth in the world of superhero acting by playing the title role of 2003's Daredevil before Charlie Cox took over the role for the MCU in his own hit series.

Djimon Hounsou (Black Panther)

Djimon Hounsou has a small role in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy as Korath the Pursuer, but had voiced the Black Panther in a BET original animated series four years earlier. The Academy Award nominee would later share the screen as Korath with the MCU's T'Challa, Chadwick Boseman, for an episode of the animated anthology series, What If...?

Wesley Snipes (Blade)

Marvel's popular vampire hunter character would, technically, make his MCU debut when Mahershala Ali made a vocal cameo as Blade in the post-credit sequence of 2021's Eternals. However, the first actor to play the Daywalker in his own trilogy of Blade movies, Wesley Snipes, beat him to the punch by making a full, live MCU appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Dolph Lundgren (The Punisher)

It is hard to imagine Rocky IV star Dolph Lundgren with jet black hair, but he donned it to play Frank Castle in a straight-to-video feature adaptation of The Punisher in 1989. The role of the vengeful vigilante would be passed down a couple more times before Jon Bernthal took over as the MCU's official iteration, but the Swedish actor would later return to comic book movie acting as King Nereus in the Jason Momoa-led Aquaman movies.

David Hasselhoff (Nick Fury)

Samuel L. Jackson's performance as Nick Fury has become so definitive that Marvel would use his likeness in the Ultimate universe comics. However, the eye-patched secret agent's main iteration better resembles David Hasselhoff, who would, indeed, play him in 1998's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., a made-for-TV movie that was intended to be a pilot for an original series on Fox.

Jennifer Garner (Elektra Natchios)

Jennifer Garner played a lighter interpretation of Matt Murdock's assassin lover, Elektra Natchios, in 2003's Daredevil and in her own spin-off film from two years later. While the Alias star would also reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine, the official MCU iteration, introduced in Season 2 of the Daredevil series, is played by Élodie Yung.

Chris Evans (Human Torch)

Chris Evans is one of the few MCU actors who can say he previously played a superhero from a different corner of the Marvel Multiverse. Years before he was cast as Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, he starred in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies as the Human Torch, which he referenced to hilarious effect in Deadpool & Wolverine. The MCU later introduced its own official iteration of Johnny Storm, played by Joseph Quinn.

Lou Ferrigno (Hulk)

Before Bruce Banner's mean, green alter ego became the product of putting Mark Ruffalo in a performance capture suit, he was brought to life in live-action on the hit TV show, The Incredible Hulk, by Lou Ferrigno, standing in for David Banner actor Bill Bixby whenever he would get angry. The legendary bodybuilder also lent his voice to the role in the Incredible Hulk animated series and made a cameo as a security guard in both 2003's Hulk and the Edward Norton-led MCU debut.

J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson)

One of the few actors known for playing the same Marvel character both in and outside of the MCU is J.K. Simmons. The Academy Award winner stole the show as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies before reimagining the role as a conspiracy theorist and podcast host in the Tom Holland-led films.

Doug Jones (Silver Surfer)

The MCU would introduce a unique version of the Silver Surfer played by Emmy winner Julia Garner in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Doug Jones, a master of roles requiring performance capture and heavy makeup transformations, shares credit for portraying the first "live-action" iteration of the metallic-skinned alien from 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer with Laurence Fishburne, who provided the voice.

Robert Hays (Iron Man)

It is hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Tony Stark other than Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr., but Iron Man was the star of his own animated series years earlier in the mid-1990s. Voicing the wealthy vigilante was Robert Hays, who is best known for starring in the classic spoof movie, Airplane!, as Ted Striker.

Neil Patrick Harris (Spider-Man)

In 2003, MTV aired a TV show very loosely connected to Sam Raimi's Marvel movies called Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. Instead of Tobey Maguire, the actor providing the voice of Peter Parker was none other than future How I Met Your Mother cast member Neil Patrick Harris, who later contributed to the 2010 video game, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

Eric Allan Kramer (Thor)

Years before Chris Hemsworth's definitive performance as Thor in the MCU made him a household name, Eric Allan Kramer of Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Good Luck Charlie fame became the first actor the play the role in live-action in the 1988 TV movie, The Incredible Hulk Returns. However, I feel obligated to mention that Vincent D'Onofrio's role in Adventures in Babysitting as Dawson, who bears a striking resemblance to the God of Thunder, predates Kramer's portrayal by a year.

Rosemary Harris (Aunt May)

With all due respect and admiration for Marisa Tomei, the Oscar winner is certainly not the first person you would picture to play Peter Parker's Aunt May, as she does in the MCU. However, Rosemary Harris is not only the spitting image of the comic book character, but also gives a moving, iconic performance as May opposite Tobey Maguire's Peter in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

Matt Salinger (Captain America)

One of the most notable screen iterations of Steve Rogers that pre-dates Chris Evans' portrayal comes from 1990's infamous straight-to-video feature, Captain America. Playing the title role is Matt Salinger, who, believe it or not, is the son of The Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger, as the actor discussed with The Guardian.

James Avery (War Machine)

Most people know actor James Avery best from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast as Philip Banks. Around that same time, however, the actor lent his voice to the animated Iron Man series as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine, years before Tony Stark's buddy was portrayed in the MCU by Don Cheadle... and Terrence Howard, of course.

Nicholas Hammond (Spider-Man)

Before the role was brought to life by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland, the first actor to play Peter Parker in live-action was Nicholas Hammond. The Sound of Music star led CBS' Spider-Man series and its two made-for-TV companion films in the late 1970s.

Jennifer Connelly (Betty Ross)

Liv Tyler appeared in 2008's The Incredible Hulk as Betty Ross, the colleague and love interest of Edward Norton's Bruce Banner. Years earlier, in 2003's Hulk, she was played by Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, who was also subtly inducted into the MCU as the voice of Karen, the AI built into Peter Parker's high-tech suit in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Thomas Jane (The Punisher)

Three actors were brought in to play Frank Castle before Jon Bernthal was cast in the role for the MCU. The second, after Dolph Lundgren and before Ray Stevenson, and first to bring the vigilante into the 21st Century, was Thomas Jane in 2004's The Punisher, which sees the anti-hero take on a corrupt businessman responsible for his family's tragic deaths.

Cree Summer (She-Hulk)

Cree Summer is the prolific voice actor behind many well-known animated roles, such as Susie Carmichael from Nickelodeon's Rugrats. She was also the second person to voice Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters, on the animated Incredible Hulk TV show almost a couple of decades before Tatiana Maslany was cast in the lead role of Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Michael Chiklis (The Thing)

Jamie Bell and Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach (who also appeared on Jon Bernthal's The Punisher series) both played CGI versions of Ben "The Thing" Grimm in their respective cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four comics. However, Michael Chiklis admirably went the old-fashioned route and donned a heavy amount of prosthetics to play the orange, rock-skinned superhero in Tim Story's movies from 2004 and 2007.

Sam Elliott (Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross)

Following William Hurt's passing, Harrison Ford stepped in to play Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross for the MCU in Captain America: Brave New World, in which the military general-turned-U.S. president becomes the Red Hulk. However, you could argue that the most intimidating portrayal of the character is still that of Sam Elliott in 2003's Hulk.

Peter Hooten (Dr. Strange)

With the title's otherworldly, psychedelic imagery, it is not very surprising to learn that Marvel's Doctor Strange comics were first adapted for live-action in the 1970s. CBS attempted to launch a series focused on the Sorcerer Supreme with a pilot led by actor Peter Hooten, who was, of course, succeeded decades later by Benedict Cumberbatch as the MCU's official iteration.

Lisa Rinna (Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine)

While better known today as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Rinna also has the honor of being the first actor to portray Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in live-action in 1998's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the MCU, the Italian-American noblewoman and CIA director is played by Seinfeld cast member Julia-Louis Dreyfus.

Conan Stevens (Man-Thing)

In 2005, SyFy aired a scary "movie of the week" inspired by the Marvel comic book character Man-Thing, played by Conan Stevens, who is essentially the publisher's equivalent to DC's Swamp Thing. The humanoid plant creature was painted in a far more sympathetic light in the Disney+ original Halloween special, Werewolf by Night, in which he was portrayed in motion capture by Carey Jones.

Ed Asner (J. Jonah Jameson)

Emmy winner Ed Asner's definitive TV role for years was cantankerous journalist Lou Grant on beloved TV sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the character's more earnest self-titled spin-off. In other words, he was a perfect choice to voice J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: The Animated Series in the 1990s.

Eric Bana (Bruce Banner)

The first live-action, theatrically released feature film adaptation of Marvel's The Incredible Hulk comics, director Ang Lee's Hulk, cast Australian actor Eric Bana as Bruce Banner. The brilliant physicist would later return to the big screen as part of the MCU, first portrayed by Edward Norton in his 2008 solo flick before Mark Ruffalo took over the role in subsequent installments.

Ed Gale (Howard The Duck)

Howard the Duck, one of the most bizarre characters in Marvel Comics' history, exists in the MCU, having first appeared in the post-credit sequence for Guardians of the Galaxy, voiced by Seth Green. The fowl extraterrestrial crimefighter made his feature debut, however, in a self-titled film from producer George Lucas, in which Ed Gale, a little person also known for playing Chucky in Child's Play, wore a duck costume on set while Chip Zien provided the voice.

Ioan Gruffudd (Mr. Fantastic)

Before Pedro Pascal added the MCU to his ongoing list of franchises by playing Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, English actor Ioan Gruffudd played the stretchy superhero otherwise known as Mr. Fantastic in Tim Story's Fantastic Four movies.

Sticky Fingaz (Blade)

Mahershala Ali is actually not Wesley Snipes' direct successor to the role of Blade. Rap artist Sticky Fingaz played the vampire hunter in a short-lived TV series from 2006.

In 1987, five years after the Masters of the Universe franchise from Mattel was launched, the same-named movie starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man was released. Nearly 40 years later, a new Masters of the Universe movie is set to come out in 2026, this time with Nicholas Galitzine playing the hero who wields the Power Sword of Grayskull. But is it possible we’ll see Lundgren appear in the reboot? Apparently so given the cryptic answer he gave in an interview.

While speaking with Men’s Journal about Hard-Cut Vodka, his new American-made spirit, Lundgren spent discussing Masters of the Universe. When the Rocky IV alum had this to way when asked if he could pop up in the upcoming movie:

I suspect that if Dolph Lundgren already knew he wouldn’t be needed for the Masters of the Universe reboot, he would have said right then and there that we shouldn’t expect to see him in it. This answer, on the other hand, suggests it’s a possibility at bare minimum. From a more optimistic perspective, since Masters of the Universe just finished filming, maybe Lundgren already shot a cameo or even a slightly larger role.

We have another year to go until that mystery is solved, but as far as his overall feelings about the reboot, Dolph Lundgren is glad that it finally got off the ground, even if it does make him feel his age. He stated:

Dolph Lundgren starred opposite Frank Langella, Courteney Cox, Barry Livingston, James Tolkan, Christina Pickles, Meg Foster, Chelsea Field and Jon Cypher, among others. Although the 1987 movie ended with a post-credits scene teasing that Langella’s Skeletor would return, its poor critical and commercial performance resulted in sequel plans being scrapped. Additionally, Masters of the Universe bombing at the box office contributed to Cannon Films shutting down.

As for the new adaptation, Nicholas Galitzine’s castmates include Jared Leto, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie and Idris Elba. The Travis Knight-directed and Chris Butler-written Masters of the Universe opens in theaters on June 5, 2026. Until then, if you have a Netflix subscription, you can get your fill of newer Masters of the Universe content by streaming the animated shows Masters of the Universe: Revelation and its follow-up Revolution, as well as the separate CGI series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

We're still living in the Golden Age of Superhero movies in Hollywood (some might argue it's sputtering to an end). That doesn't mean there haven't been superhero movies and TV shows in the past, though. In the '80s, there was actually way more than you might remember. We all love Christopher Reeve as Superman and Michael Keaton as Batman, but the list is so much longer than that.

Helen Slater (Supergirl)

After Superman starring Christopher Reeve became a massive hit, the studio started lining up sequels and spinoffs. Supergirl, starring Helen Slater as the titular hero, was one of those. While it exists in the same universe and uses much of the same music, or version of it, it's, frankly, not as good as the first two movies in the franchise. There is one crossover moment, Marc McClure starring as Jimmy Olsen, that's a lot of fun, though. That's not to say it doesn't have its moments, but sadly, it pretty much bombed at the box office.

Michael Keaton (Batman)

Towards the top of any list of iconic superhero portrayals has to be Michael Keaton as Batman in Tim Burton's Batman. People may have winced when Keaton was cast, but he proved all the doubters wrong when he led the character into a new era. Gone was the campiness that marked the 1960s' Batman TV show, and in was a new, darker, grittier version of the Caped Crusader.

William Katt (Ralph Hinkley/Ralph Hanley)

The TV show The Greatest American Hero starring William Katt as the titular hero is mostly remembered today for its banger of a theme song. The show, while fun for a certain demographic of pre-teen boys, somehow managed to last three seasons on ABC before it was canceled with five episodes yet to air in early 1983. Still, the song endures.

Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon)

Flash Gordon was a different kind of superhero. He didn't have any special powers aside from being a great quarterback, but he was certainly a hero. Sam J. Jones played the titular character in Flash Gordon in 1980 in a wild movie that updated the character, who dates all the way back to the 1930s. Of course, it also has that amazing, unconventional soundtrack by Queen, which has helped it stay relevant for decades.

Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers)

In the late '70s and early '80s, old Depression-era comic strip characters were en vogue, and one of the most popular both in the 1930s and in the '80s was Buck Rogers. The sci-fi show Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was briefly a minor hit for two short seasons on NBC, which was based on a 1977 movie, and is fondly remembered by many Gen X guys, despite its abbreviated run.

Peter Weller (Buckaroo Bonzai)

The 1980s were full of cool, unconventional superheroes, and no hero personified that better than Buckaroo Banzai in 1984's The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Buckaroo, played by Peter Weller, was a scientist, adventurer, musician, and more. He and his team do everything they can to stop an alien invasion, and the cast of the movie is totally stacked. Some people may hate the cult classic, but if you grew up with it, you likely love it.

Joe Morton (The Brother)

In The Brother from Another Planet, Joe Morton plays "The Brother," who, like Superman, is an alien with all kinds of powers. The movie, directed by John Sayles, was actually a surprise hit when it was released in 1984 and has since become a cult classic. It was also fairly progressive at the time and wasn't afraid to address race and other social issues head-on.

Casey Kasem (Robin)

Between 1973 and 1985, there were multiple versions of the cartoon Super Friends, but one constant throughout them was legendary DJ Casey Kasem voicing Batman's iconic sidekick, Robin.

Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk)

Perhaps the most successful superhero show of the era was The Incredible Hulk, starring Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk (and Bill Bixby as his alter ego, David Banner). The show ran for five seasons on CBS, and not only did it make it 80 episodes, but it also produced five made-for-TV movies.

Tanya Roberts (Sheena: Queen of the Jungle)

The first adaptation of the Golden Age comic Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, was a TV show in the 1950s starring Irish McCalla as the titular hero. In 1984, Columbia Pictures revived the hero for Sheena: Queen of the Jungle, starring Tanya Roberts as the female version of Tarzan, an orphan who grew up in the jungle. If we're honest, the movie is pretty cheesy, and the box office reflects that, as it pretty much completely bombed when it was released in 1984. It's a movie that just doesn't know what it is. Comedy? Maybe. Action flick? Sometimes. Melodrama? Sadly, yes.

Jerry O'Connell (Andrew Clements)

The Canadian production My Secret Identity was a good, low-cost option for U.S. syndication, and the show ran for 72 episodes over three seasons as such. The most notable thing about it is that it starred Jerry O'Connell as Andrew Clements, the teenage superhero lead in the show.

Christopher Reeve (Superman)

Of course, we're going to include Christopher Reeve on this list! The first Superman movie, directed by Richard Donner, was released in 1978, but Reeve continued to play the character well into the 1980s with the three sequels. starting in 1980 with Superman II. It could be argued, in fact, that the first sequel is better than the original, but you can't go wrong with either. You can't say the same thing about the final two in the series, which are pretty mediocre at best.

Dick Durock (The Swamp Thing)

Swamp Thing has been a popular comic book anti-hero since the early 1970s. In 1982 Wes Craven brought the character to the big screen, with actor Dick Durock playing the character in The Swamp Thing. Durock returned to the character in 1989 with The Return of Swamp Thing.

Dolph Lundgren (The Punisher)

The history of The Punisher on the big and small screen has been hit or miss, though mostly miss. The very popular Marvel anti-hero first hit the silver screen in 1989, starring Dolph Lundgren, in The Punisher. No one loves that version. In fact, no one loves any of the versions that have appeared in movies, and Jon Bernthal's version in the Netflix-era Marvel shows has proved more enduring.

Ed Gale/Chip Zien (Howard The Duck)

Two actors played the lead character in Howard the Duck, the 1986 box office bomb about the Marvel character. Ed Gale was in the suit, while Chip Zien did the character's voice. He's not really a superhero, per se, but he is a giant duck who can speak and think like a human (or an alien, really), and that has to count for something. More recently, Seth Green has voiced the character in the MCU.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Some of you might disagree that Popeye is a superhero, but come on, the guy eats spinach and gets super-strength when he does? Sounds like a superhero to us! While 1980's Popeye starring Robin Williams as the sailor man and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl was lambasted at the time, it has since found its place as a somewhat beloved cult classic.

Chuck Wagner (Automan)

What if you took the ideas of Tron and flipped them around so that the humanoid computer programs could exist in the real world... and fight crime! That's pretty much the premise of Automan, starring Chuck Wagner as the program-come-to-life. Yeah, it's pretty much as bad as it sounds, and it only lasted 12 episodes on ABC in the mid-1980s.

Mitch Cohen (The Toxic Avenger)

Though it's a classic "B-movie" from the 1980s, The Toxic Avenger has an enduring legacy. The first movie starred Mitch Cohen as The Toxic Avenger. The character has been part of four sequels in the years since, with a different actor playing the character each time, including, most recently, Peter Dinklage.

Michael Crawford (Condorman)

Disney is responsible for some of the biggest superhero movies of all time, with the giant success of the MCU movies in the last couple of decades. Those were the first time the company tried its hand at the genre, though. In 1981, they produced Condorman starring Michael Crawford as the titular hero. If you've forgotten the movie existed, you're not alone.

Micheal J. Fox (Teen Wolf)

Okay, okay, we admit that we're pushing the envelope here, but in our opinion, Teen Wolf definitely belongs on this list. The classic '80s comedy stars Michael J. Fox as a meek teenager who transforms into a powerful wolf with some serious basketball skills. We dare you to tell us he's not a superhero!

Peter Weller (RoboCop)

RoboCop is a classic anti-hero from the 1980s. The first appearance of the character came in the wild 1987 movie directed by Paul Verhoeven, named after the character. That movie, starring Peter Weller, was followed by two direct sequels in the 1990s and a 2014 reboot starring Joel Kinnaman as the cop-turned-android.

John Ritter (Steve Nichols)

1980's Hero At Large starring the late, great John Ritter as Steve Nichols, an out-of-work actor who turns himself into a hapless superhero after a casting call, is actually better than it's remembered for.

Courteney Cox (Gloria Dinallo)

One of Courteney Cox's earliest roles was a superhero in the short-lived TV show Misfits of Science. The show only lasted 16 episodes on NBC in the 1985-'86 television season. Though the show, about a group of teenagers with superpowers, bombed, it sure didn't slow down Cox in her career.

Alan Arkin (Captain Invincible)

1983's The Return of Captain Invincible is a wild movie. It stars Alan Arkin as Captain Invincible, a washed-up superhero who had been forced into retirement, but is forced to suit up when his arch-nemesis returns 30 years after disappearing.

Simon MacCorkindale (Manimal)

One of the many crazy TV shows created by Glen A. Larson in the 1980s was Manimal. The show, which starred Simon MacCorkindale as the titular shape-shifting hero, lasted just eight episodes in 1983. It's a good thing Larson also created Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.

Bruce Boxleitner (Tron)

1982's Tron quickly became a cult classic after decent results at the box office in 1982. Bruce Boxleitner starred as Tron, and while he's not a traditional superhero, he was as close as it came in the early '80s when superhero movies weren't really being made. Or, at least, good ones, so we had to include this on the list.

John Newton (Superboy)

Amid all the adaptations of Superman over the years, one that tends to get lost in the shuffle is the '80s show Superboy starring John Newton as the young hero. In Season Two, Newton was replaced by Gerard Christopher. The lasted two more seasons before it was pretty much relegated to the dustbin of TV history, but it really wasn't a bad show for its time.

Mia Farrow (Alura)

Even the great Mia Farrow has starred as a superhero. Sort of. Farrow played Alura, the mother of Supergirl, in 1984's Supergirl. While we don't see her in her traditional costume from the comics, it's impossible to leave such a legend off the list.

Jeff Lester (Captain Justice)

Arguably, the worst example of a TV superhero show on the list (and that's saying something) has to be Once A Hero starring Jeff Lester as Captain Justice. The show aired just three episodes on ABC before being canceled in 1987.

Lewis Van Bergen (Jon Sable)

Like a couple of other examples on this list, Jon Sable is pushing the definition of a superhero, but since he started out as a comic character and at times shows superhuman abilities, we're including him here. Lewis Van Bergen played the character on the ABC show simply titled Sable.

Dolph Lundgren (He-Man)

Toys being turned into multimedia franchises were all the rage in the 1980s, and one of the biggest hits across media was He-Man. In 1987, the cartoon was adapted into a live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren as the Prince of Eternia. The movie, Masters of the Universe: The Motion Picture, wasn't well received and failed to find an audience that matched the popularity of the cartoon or the toys. Maybe there is a future for the franchise, but only time will tell.

Sam J. Jones (The Spirit)

Sam J. Jones is best remembered for starring in Flash Gordon, but that wasn't the only hero he played in the 1980s. In 1987, Jones starred in The Spirit, a made-for-TV movie based on a World War II-era comic of the same name. It's campy and fun, but it's easy to understand why it's not well remembered.

Three years after Sylvester Stallone reprised Rocky Stallone in Creed, 2018's Creed II brought Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago back into play for the first time since Rocky IV. The sequel saw the man who killed Apollo Creed training his son Viktor to become the heavyweight champ, which of course brought them into conflict with Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed. The story ended on an optimistic note for the father/son duo, and a few years back, word came in that MGM was considering making a Drago spinoff w. Now Lundgren has explained why this spinoff is taking so long to happen, as well as shared some pretty cool “story details.”

In July 2022, it looked as though the Drago spinoff was finally going to move forward when Robert Lawton was hired to write the script. However, by April 2023, Lundgren shared that the script hadn’t passed muster, and those involved were “waiting for a new writer to come in and try to shape it.” Now the actor has revealed that Creed III’s success is the big reason why the Drago spinoff has been put on the back burner, as he said the following while confirming the project is still in development:

In addition to sharing his opinion on why The Expendables 4 bombed, Dolph Lundgren clarified during his interview with ScreenRant that although the Drago spinoff hasn’t been shelved by any means, Creed III doing so well has prompted MGM to dedicate more attention to making a direct follow-up movie. While the actor didn’t name the “co-star” in question, chances are good he’s referring to Jonathan Majors, who played Damian Anderson in Creed III and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment charges earlier this month. So now it’s unclear where Creed IV stands, but that was enough to push the Drago spinoff to the side.

Additionally, it’s interesting to learn that this project would see Ivan and Viktor moving to the United States post-Creed II. They were last seen in the sequel training together in Ukraine and clearly on better terms with one another, but as Lundgren laid out below, unfortunate circumstances would result in them needing to find a new home:

Regardless of how the Drago spinoff’s script evolves under the pen of a different writer, I imagine this immigration plot point will be kept in the story given how much Dolph Lundgren approves of it. Beyond that though, it doesn’t sound like there’s any firm time table on when the spinoff will take the next step forward, only that there’s still a good chance it will eventually see the light of day. Other Creed-verse projects reportedly being considered include both live-action and animated TV shows tied to the franchise, as well as a movie centered on Adonis and Bianca’s daughter, Amara.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any more news about the Drago spinoff and the rest of the Creed franchise. Creed III can currently be streamed with an Amazon Prime video subscription, and be sure to see what movies are coming up on the 2024 release schedule.

Spoilers ahead for Aquaman 2.

The DCEU had a wild life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. It all ended with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which struggled at the box office upon its release in December. James Wan's long-awaited sequel made some bold narrative swings, including a greater focus on Patrick Wilson's Orm. This seemingly came at the expense of Mera, who had a small role. Aquaman 2’s Dolph Lundgren recently mentioned Heard while lamenting about the movie's theatrical cut. 

The cast of Aquaman 2 was stacked, and included a number of returning faces from the original movie. While an online petition for Heard to be removed from the movie, she still appeared... kinda. While Wan maintained that was always his plan for the movie's story, Dolph Lundgren's comments to ComicBook seem to put that timeline in doubt. As he shared: 

There you have it. It sounds like he's got some guilt about how Aquaman 2 went down, specifically related to his and Amber Heard's roles as Nereus and Mera respectively. Per this comment, it seems like there was a concerted effort to put the latter character to the side in this blockbuster. We'll have to see if the studio or filmmaker respond to this ongoing discourse.

Lundgren's comments about Amber Heard are sure to circulate online, especially for those of us who spent years watching the DC movies in order. Prior to its release, there was a ton of chatter about Aquaman 2, specifically related to the Mera actress. This is likely due to Heard and Johnny Depp's legal battle, which was messy and had an affect on both actors' careers. 

In the first Aquaman movie (which is available with a Max subscription), features Mera as one of the biggest roles, with Amber Heard and Jason Momoa going on an adventure through land and sea. But in the sequel Amber Heard's Mera is injured early on, and has very limited screentime. 

Since there's a new DC shared universe being formed, it seems unlikely that we'll ever see Mera in an upcoming DC movie. For her part, Heard thanked fans for their support upon the movie's release.

The DCU will start with Superman: Legacy on July 11th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Last September, The Expendables 4 arrived in theaters, reviving the action franchise after a nearly-decade-long hiatus. However, this latest installment ended up being the worst-performing of the bunch, as not only was The Expendables 4 met with terrible reviews, it also only made a little over $50 million at the worldwide box office, an astounding decrease from The Expendables 3’s $214 million haul. There’s no denying that the 2023 movie release was a bomb, and Dolph Lundgren, one of its actors, has some pretty good ideas why this happened.

Lundgren reprised Gunner Jensen in The Expendables 4, once again performing alongside Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Randy Coture, as well as sharing screen time with newcomers like Megan Fox, 50 Cent and Tony Jaa. Unlike the previous three movies though, Stallone was not involved in any with The Expendables 4’s behind-the scenes process, and Lundgren thinks that, along with the director being replaced at the last minute, led to the movie failing to meet expectations. As the actor told ScreenRant when asked about the reactions to this latest Expendables chapter:

So Dolph Lundgren knew full well The Expendables 4 wasn’t going to be a hit ahead of it being released to the public, which boiled down to him not caring for the script and recognizing that changing the director right before filming is about to begin can cause problems. Regarding that latter topic, originally The Man from Toronto’s Patrick Hughes was originally supposed to helm the project, but in August 2021, Need for Speed’s Scott Waugh replaced him, and cameras began rolling a month later. As for the former topic, while Stallone did briefly appear as Barney Ross in The Expendables 4, his involvement in the project was certainly a far cry from its predecessors, all of which he co-wrote, along with directing the first movie.

Lundgren continued by pointing out that The Expendables 4 not only suffered by having so few of the familiar faces from the previous movies return, but it also didn’t help that the new movie opened in the midst of both the writers strike and actors strike were still happening, meaning this action flick couldn’t be properly promoted. In his words:

Because The Expendables 4 was such a critical and commercial dud, it’s hard to imagine The Expendables 5 being greenlit. To be fair, if you’re like our own Rich Knight, you may believe this is one of those long-running film series that should have ended two or three movies ago. Still, on the off chance another movie does move forward, Expendables fans should cross their fingers that there’s more working in its favor compared to this last one.

The Expendables 4 isn’t available on any streaming services, so you’ll need to buy or rent it if you’re keen to judge it for yourself. Dolph Lundgren can also be seen reprising Nereus in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is still playing in theaters. His latest movie, Wanted Man, hits select theaters and VOD starting January 17 on the 2024 movies calendar.

After years of delays, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finally swam into theaters in December 2023, marking the end of the DC Extended Universe. A sequel to the Jason Momoa-led 2018, it centered mostly around the relationship between the titular hero and his villainous brother, Orm, a.k.a. Ocean Master and their efforts to defeat Black Manta. Those who followed the flick’s production, however, probably know that it went through reshoots, which resulted in some story changes. Dolph Lundgren and Amber Heard were among those whose roles were reportedly cut down as a result of the shifts, and the former shared some thoughts on that. 

Dolph Lundgren played (the formerly antagonistic) King Nereus in the Aquaman duology. While his role in the first installment was fairly significant, his presence in The Lost Kingdom was somewhat diminished. The 66-year-old actor recently spoke about how the superhero film ultimately shook out while promoting his latest film, Wanted Man. As the star explained, he personally enjoyed an earlier iteration of the swashbuckling blockbuster: 

In the movie, Nereus aids Arthur Curry in his attempt to take down the corrupted Black Manta and thwart his environmental-based machinations. He’s not unimportant to the story, but he does mostly sit on the sidelines this time around. Dolph Lundgren, during his interview with UPI, also shared his view on the challenges of reshooting significant portions of a movie. He also provided a summation of his feelings over his role in the production being cut down: 

He does make a fair point, in that reshooting portions of a feature film can be tricky, if you’re aiming to produce a cohesive piece of work. The results aren’t always negative, though, as additional photography can be invaluable at times. In the case of The Lost Kingdom, it would seem that there was a lot of work done. In July 2023, Orm actor Patrick Wilson seemingly confirmed reshoots had taken place around that time. Within a few days of that news hitting the web, it was also reported that Ben Affleck’s Batman would not appear as planned. 

While not much was made of Dolph Lundgren’s role in the leadup to the movie, there was a considerable amount of speculation swirling around Amber Heard. It was Heard herself who confirmed during her testimony amid her defamation case with ex-husband Johnny Depp that Mera – the character she plays – had been relatively cut out of the new script. However, director James Wan stated that Mera was always set to play a smaller role this time around. 

Neither Dolph Lundgren nor Amber Heard are likely to reprise their roles in upcoming DC movies due to the end of the DCEU and the imminent rise of the DCU. Some may continue to wonder how their characters may have figured in before rewrites and reshoots, but most are likely looking to the future at this point. And, while he’s apparently “disappointed” with how everything panned out, it seems Lundgren is simply going to move on as well. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still playing in theaters. You can also stream the first movie using a Max subscription and, with that membership, you can also watch the DC movies in order.

Rocky IV is one of the most popular entries in the storied Rocky franchise. The battle between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago is among the best boxing battles on film. While the movie works in part because of the clear animosity between the two fighters, Dolph Lundgren has nothing but wonderful things to say about his friend Sylvester Stallone.

It’s far from uncommon for actors to become friendly on a film set, but the work that Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone is unlike anything we often see today. Speaking with ET, Lundgren discussed that the pair spent months training and rehearsing together before cameras ever began to roll, so the two got to know each other well. He explained…

There’s a famous story about Sylvester Stallone ending up in the hospital during Rocky IV’s production, perhaps almost dying, due to a shot from Lundgren in one of the boxing scenes. Nobody would blame anybody if potential friendships ended there, but it seems there were no long-term hard feelings over the battle between the two. They would go on to be in Expendables movies together after Rocky.

This friendship may explain the strange situation that occurred when there was talk of a Dolph Lundgren-focused Rocky spinoff. When Stallone spoke out against it, because he wasn’t involved, Lundgren was very apologetic, apparently not realizing that was the case. These two obviously value their friendship and do not want to jeopardize it. Lundgren says he wants Sly involved in the spinoff if it happens.

Lundgren says that the friendship that started on Rock IV has continued to this day, and he calls Sly the person he is closest to in Hollywood, and it expands beyond them to include their families as well. He continued…

It sounds like most people would be lucky to make a friend the way Stallone and Lundgren have. Whether we see them again in the Rocky franchise or elsewhere, it seems likely the pair will continue to make time for each other both on and off the screen. 

Through over six decades of James Bond movies, there has been a wide assortment of notable actors that have played heroes, villains, and roles in-between in the long running saga. As there’s 25 movies to keep track of, you might still be surprised by who shows up in a 007 adventure upon rewatching the series. With that in mind, here’s a huge list of people you may have forgotten teamed up with Commander Bond on the big screen.

Jack Lord - Dr. No

Before playing the original Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-O, actor Jack Lord got to originate another pop culture landmark. As the first actor to play Felix Leiter in Sean Connery’s James Bond movies, Dr. No saw Lord helping foil SPECTRE before instructing Danno to book anyone in another tropical crime fighting epic.

Robert Shaw - From Russia With Love

A good number of moviegoers would remember Robert Shaw best as the iconic sailor Quint, one of Jaws’ intrepid shark hunters. Before he got to put his hunting skills to the test against a Great White, Shaw played Red Grant: a SPECTRE hitman sent to kill James Bond. Unfortunately for Grant, a good thrashing on the Orient Express prevented him from completing his mission; all thanks to a wine based faux pas.

Donald Pleasence - You Only Live Twice

Halloween’s Michael Myers employed a mask to instill his own brand of chilling villainy. But years prior to tangling with that evil himself, Donald Pleasence became the first actor to show off Blofeld’s heinous visage in You Only Live Twice. Admit it, you probably remember Mike Myers’ parody of this character from Austin Powers more than the OG; which is ok.

Charles Gray - You Only Live Twice

Speaking of actors that have played Ernst Stavro Blofeld, The Rocky Horror Picture Show vet Charles Gray is also in that boat himself. However, the James Bond role people may have forgotten he played was that of 007’s ally Henderson in You Only Live Twice. Kind of fitting, as his Blofeld would be Sean Connery’s second tangle with the iconic nemesis.

Telly Savalas - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

What’s one more Blofeld for old times? As he’d go on to tear up World War II in Kelly’s Heroes, as well as fight crime with a lollipop addiction in Kojack, Telly Savalas got to be the big bad of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service which is George Lazenby’s solo outing as 007. Savalas is arguably the best Blofeld of the bunch, exuding both charm and menace.

Joanna Lumley - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Joanna Lumley shot to stardom through roles in series like Sapphire and Steel and Absolutely Fabulous, as well as another British spy staple The Avengers. Much like her fellow alums Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg, Lumley found herself cast early on in the 007 legacy, as one of Blofeld’s “Angels of Death” in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Yaphet Kotto - Live And Let Die

Yaphet Kotto made a name for himself throughout all sorts of genres, thanks to roles in Alien, The Running Man, and NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Streets. And among all of those valued credits was the dual role of Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big in the debut of Roger Moore’s James Bond, Live and Let Die. Both sides of this coin fit the veteran performer to a tee, making for one of the most intriguing Bond villains of all time.

Charles Dance - For Your Eyes Only

Believe it or not, Tywin Lannister once tried to kill James Bond on a ski slope! Game of Thrones’ icon Charles Dance played a heavy trying to ice Roger Moore’s 007. Dance was even courted as a potential James Bond, but he graciously turned down the opportunity to audition as he didn’t feel he was a good fit for the role. 

Patrick Macnee - A View To A Kill

The British spy series The Avengers was another cultural icon that made many an actor into memorable agents of chaos and/or order. Patrick Macnee is one such icon, as he played series lead John Steed with a couple Bond girls joining in on the fun. So when Macnee was cast to assist Roger Moore in his final James Bond adventure, A View to a Kill, it felt like an ambitious crossover that was years in the making.

Dolph Lundgren - A View To A Kill

1985 was the year to have Dolph Lundgren playing your anti-capitalist villain. Not only did he square off against Sylvester Stallone in Rocky IV, but he also found time to play a KGB agent tasked with keeping Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) in line in A View to a Kill. And if Grace Jones wasn’t Walken’s hired muscle, he may have stood a chance.

Joe Don Baker - The Living Daylights

Even die hard James Bond fans have had moments where they forget that Joe Don Baker actually played a 007 villain before he rejoined the series. Later playing Pierce Brosnan’s American counterpart Jack Wade of the CIA, Baker first appeared in the series as The Living Daylights’ big bad Brad Whitaker. A madman fixated on military history, Whitaker would meet his Waterloo after Timothy Dalton’s James Bond sends him crashing into a model of that very same battle.

Carey Lowell - License To Kill

James Bond has always had a strong sense of law and order; so it’s only fitting that Law and Order cast member Carey Lowell got to play one of his partners in License to Kill. As Pam Bouvier, Lowell was involved in one of James Bond’s most personal vendettas ever recorded. She even showed off her jealous streak in the end, romancing 007 by confessing her feelings in a swimming pool scene out of a rom-com.

Benicio del Toro - License To Kill

A young and hungry Benicio del Toro went toe to toe with both Carey Lowell and Timothy Dalton in License to Kill. Playing henchman Dario, his skills were employed by drug dealer/business magnate Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi). It’s just a shame that 007 got the drop on this young buck, which resulted in a demise so brutal that it’s cut in some versions of the film.

Wayne Newton - License To Kill

Legendary crooner and enemy of Clark Griswold, Wayne Newton is also quite an actor. Nowhere did he show that than in License to Kill, where he played the sleazy preacher Professor Joe Butcher. The perfect nexus of ‘80s influences, Newton’s character was part of how Franz Sanchez’s cartel would send secret messages to its network of buyers and sellers; through the power of televangelism.

Alan Cumming - Goldeneye

Boris Grishenko is one of the most memorable presences in 007 history, making quite an impression in Goldeneye. But many probably forget that the chameleon behind this performance is none other than the insanely talented Alan Cumming. Though he may not have been as invincible as he thought, Cumming’s nasty nerd is hard to stay mad at, even when he gets frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Minnie Driver - Goldeneye

There’s a fine line between cameo appearances and secondary roles that appear as a brief blip in the James Bond world. Otherwise, we’d be able to claim people like Gerard Butler and Hugh Bonneville as entries on this list. While their appearances were too brief to mention, Minnie Driver’s brief but beautiful role in Goldeneye sees her almost get Pierce Brosnan killed, while also sassing back her on-screen sugar daddy Robbie Coltrane.

Robbie Coltrane - Goldeneye/The World Is Not Enough

Here’s another pop culture intersection that’s hard to believe: Hagrid was a sworn frenemy of James Bond! Appearing in both Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough, the late great Robbie Coltrane played Valentin Zukovsky, an ex-KGB player who loved and loathed 007. Coltrane’s patter with Pierce Brosnan is invaluable, which probably led to Zukovsky returning for a meatier role in The World is Not Enough.

Michelle Yeoh - Tomorrow Never Dies

Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh has been Everything Everywhere All At Once, but early on in her career she was paired up with Pierce Brosnan’s Commander Bond to stop a madman. Tomorrow Never Dies saw the action star playing Wai Lin, a Chinese military officer who wants to prevent World War III as much as 007 does. If only she'd returned as supposedly planned in Die Another Day.

Teri Hatcher - Tomorrow Never Dies

While not quite a desperate housewife at this phase in her career, Teri Hatcher was still a popular actor that managed to land a Bond film with her clout. Playing 007’s ex-flame Paris Carver, her marriage to media mogul/villain Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) put her in the crosshairs of fate.

Vincent Schiavelli - Tomorrow Never Dies

Character acting legend Vincent Schiavelli has been in everything from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest to Death to Smoochy. And thanks to being cast in Tomorrow Never Dies as the diabolical Dr. Kaufman, Schiavelli was able to cross off being a Bond baddie from his to-do list.

Denise Richards - The World Is Not Enough

Denise Richards has gotten a lot of unfair criticism for her role as The World is Not Enough’s Dr. Christmas Jones. But that hasn’t stopped her from defending her part in 007 history, and rightfully so. You may have forgotten her snappy patter with Pierce Brosnan, but it’s not hard to fall back into the rhythm between these two well matched co-stars.

Robert Carlyle - The World Is Not Enough

One of the best red herrings in James Bond history, Robert Carlyle expertly played the role of terrorist Renard in The World is Not Enough. With his own motivations overshadowing the true villain of the piece, the Full Monty and Once Upon A Time star may have slipped your mind in the world of 007, but he was indeed a pretty fantastic part of it all.

Rosamund Pike - Die Another Day

Secret villain Miranda Frost was the perfect warm up for future Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike. Playing who seemed to be an MI6 ally in Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond eventually outed her as a colder player than she initially let on. The results were quite heated, especially as she would have to face off against true Bond ally Jinx (Halle Berry) in the big third act showdown.

Michael Madsen - Die Another Day

We’re never going to get that Pierce Brosnan/Quentin Tarantino James Bond movie that could have adapted Casino Royale. That being said, we may have gotten a taste of what a QT Bond character might have been like in Damian Falco, the CIA officer played by Tarantino vet Michael Madsen in Die Another Day. Which is enough to spark the FOMO all over again.

Tobias Menzies - Casino Royale

Before he terrorized Sam Heughan in Outlander, Tobias Menzies was a heroic party that assisted Daniel Craig’s James Bond in Casino Royale. Playing Villers, the right hand man to M (Judi Dench) before Tanner was revived in the post-reboot climate, Menzies saw some pretty harrowing action in the Bond franchise. Like that time James almost died due to a malfunctioning defibrillator. 

David Harbour - Quantum of Solace

An early career win for Violent Night’s David Harbour, the actor’s appearance as an antagonist in Quantum of Solace is another reason people shouldn’t sleep on this movie. As the morally corrupt Gregg Beam, Harbour is a delight in all of his scummy brilliance, just before the world would see him in a much more heroic light in Stranger Things.

Stana Katic - Quantum of Solace

Solving crimes alongside Nathan Fillion on Castle is Stana Katic’s major claim to fame. And just before she started babysitting a mystery author turned sleuth, she was a crucial part to Daniel Craig’s James Bond gaining closure over Vesper Lynd’s death; thanks to her appearance at the end of Quantum of Solace.

Helen McCrory - Skyfall

If you ever wanted to see Narscissa Malfoy and Voldemort battle it out, minus the wands and makeup, Skyfall should be added to your watch list at once. The late Helen McCrory and Ralph Fiennes face off during a hearing that questions the effectiveness of M’s leadership, which sees sparks fly in some heated verbal battle.

Albert Finney - Skyfall

There was once a time where Sean Connery was considered for a role in Skyfall. Instead, cooler heads prevailed, and Kincade, the groundskeeper of the old Bond estate, was cast as the legendary Albert Finney. I dare anyone else to say “Welcome to Skyfall” and make it sound as awesome.

Andrew Scott - Spectre

Though the world knows him as Sherlock’s Moriarty, actor Andrew Scott was also a thorn in the side of James Bond and his MI6 family. Popping up at exactly the wrong time in Spectre, Scott’s character Max Denbigh posed a great threat to the 00 program and all it stood for. 

Monica Bellucci - Spectre

Out of the extensive legacy of James Bond women, Monica Bellucci’s arrival in Spectre is one that was possibly the most hard fought. After Bellucci missed out on two Pierce Brosnan outings, seeing her romanced by Daniel Craig’s 007 was a triumph to behold.

Jimmy Dean - Diamonds Are Forever

The world at large will always remember actor/country singer/breakfast meat magnate Jimmy Dean for those various facets of his talent. But what most may not recall is the fact that he was also Willard White, the reclusive millionaire that Blofeld used as a cover for his grand schemes in Diamonds Are Forever.

With over 60 years under its belt, the James Bond legacy has certainly seen a lot of people come and go. As the next age of 007 dawns, who knows what the future will bring, and what major stars will appear only to be periodical surprises when revisiting the Bond adventures?

I was shocked when I first learned The Expendables 4, a.k.a. Expend4bles, was not just happening, but as a theatrical release. Despite being an action movie lover, I haven't had much interest in The Expendables franchise since I saw the first trailer for the first movie way back when, so the news made me wonder what I was missing out on. So I decided to watch the 2010 movie recently to see what the hype was about, and all I can say is I'm not surprised The Expendables 4 is struggling with critics and at the box office against The Nun II. 

I watched The Expendables with my Netflix subscription to see what the hype was about, hoping to understand how this franchise made it to four movies. After the credits rolled, I had no answers to my question, and am still wondering how this franchise spawned three sequels after a first entry that was below par for the action genre.

The Expendables Francise Has Made A Lot Of Money 

Before I get too deep into tearing down this franchise, I need to take a chance to acknowledge that there was definitely an audience for these movies along the way. While critics were never on the side of these movies, the first movie had a worldwide gross of $274.5 million per BoxOfficeMojo with a reported $80 million budget. That alone would score any film a sequel, and when that sequel makes $315 million, that's going to turn into a third movie. 

All this is to say that until seemingly very recently, there were people seeing these movies. People, plus money, equals sequels. So, I am being a bit facetious when I ask the question of how a fourth movie happened, but for the sake of looking at the overall product as an action fan, I still am scratching my head about what so many saw in it. 

The Expendables Tried Way Too Hard To Make Every Actor Look Badass

When every character is trying to act like the toughest man in the room, the whole scene falls apart into pure comedy. I couldn't help but bust out laughing watching Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in that church scene all try to out-tough each other, and it just devolves into some bizarre pissing contest. Weirdly enough, it flies in the face of Stallone's recent comments about action heroes, as none of these characters keep their mouths shut and just perform heroic deeds. 

What really makes it underwhelming for me is that in normal circumstances, I'd expect the real tough guy in the room to stay silent and let the wannabes talk. The way The Expendables plays it is everyone is that shit-talking wannabes, and there's no badass to set everyone straight. It's just two hours of dudes hurling empty threats and insults at each other between fight scenes, and it's way goofier than I'm sure was intended. 

The Action Of The Expendables Is Below Standard For The Genre

The Expendables is promoted to feature some of the best names in the action genre, and yet, the movie is chocked full of moments in which the action is well below the mark for a movie like this. In an age where the John Wick franchise is crafting awesome fight scenes more elaborate than a Star Wars lightsaber battle, I was watching a then-62-year-old Sylvester Stallone struggling to maintain a consistent run so that he could catch a plane. 

The physical limitations of the stars aside, there are scenes in The Expendables where the fight choreography feels nonexistent. Take the opening scene, in which the heroes stand in an open room, fire at the enemy terrorists and somehow dispatch them all with zero casualties. Is it badass or is it just lucky that they decided to start firing before taking any form of cover? So much of this movie has moments where it looks like it's a miracle the heroes aren't injured at the very least, to the point I think they subconsciously are aware they're in a movie and know they can't be hurt. Why else would Lee Christmas jog directly through an enemy camp solo while tossing random grenades into bunkers? 

The Level Of Disrespectful Humor Directed At Jet Li's Yin Yang Is In Poor Taste

The first Expendables movie includes Jet Li, which, at first glance, feels like a nod toward the actor's various accolades in Hollywood as an action star. In execution, Yin Yang (the only character with a nickname that directly ties to his cultural background) is frequently shown to be the weakest of the group. At one point, Terry Crews' character refers to the crew as four-and-a-half men, referring to Li's size. Yin Yang is often the punchline in the movie rather than the hero alongside the rest of the crew. 

In my opinion, it's pretty damn disrespectful to an actor who carried the action genre with some damn good movies throughout the 2000s. If Dolph Lundgren is owed flowers for his accolades in cinema leading up to The Expendables, you can't tell me Li didn't deserve more respect for his work in Unleashed, Cradle 2 The Grave and Fearless. He would've beat Gunner's ass if Barney hadn't stepped in, and he deserved more than a patronizing response in the movie's ending about that happening. 

The Action Genre Has Evolved Past The Expendables Franchise In 2023

After watching The Expendables, I went on a search to see what the top action movies of 2010 were. The Expendables took the top spot that year, but in 2012, The Expendables 2 was absent from many top lists I browsed. The same is true of the third movie, and the further you continue, one thing is clear: the action genre evolved throughout the 2010s, and gone are the days when we're beckoning for the olden days of the '80s action stars. 

That might be my opinion, but in an opening weekend where The Expendables 4 pulled in only  $8.3 million, I don't think it's a bold take. The numbers indicate there are fewer audiences looking for this franchise, perhaps because there's a lot more quality competition now in 2023 than there was when the original movie came out. Hell, even looking at the top action movies of 2022 list I put out, there's not a single entry I'd put anything Expendables-related over. 

I originally decided to watch The Expendables to understand how the action franchise remained successful throughout four entries, but given the recent headlines about the fourth movie's struggles, I may just have wound up with the answer for why it had diminishing box office returns opening weekend with every entry. As an action lover who has enjoyed many films in this genre with all of the talent that appear in these movies, I say with all do respect it may be time to put this franchise out to pasture. 

The Expendables 4 is out in theaters now, and while it may not be my bag, I'm sure there are still fans out there who are interested in seeing it. As for anyone who hasn't had a chance to check out the original movies, all three are currently available to stream over on Netflix. 

Fans who have been long anticipating The Expendables 4, or rather Expend4bles as it’s now known, are probably expecting some specific aspects to be introduced in this latest action movie romp. Yet mixed in with the big action and explosive destruction is something that people might be pleasantly surprised by: a pretty sexy fight between Megan Fox and Jason Statham. You can see it in the trailer at the top of this page.

Stolen nuclear missiles, the potential for World War III, and 50 Cent trying to make sure Dolph Lundgren doesn’t shoot him in the face are all things that you can still find in Lionsgate’s trailer for the third sequel to The Expendables. So it’s not like the franchise is making any moves so out of the ordinary, like the PG-13 rated theatrical cut for The Expendables 3, that it’ll threaten to derail the show. If anything, Expend4bles looks like it is square in this franchise’s wheelhouse all over again.

“Long anticipated” almost seems like a joke at this point, as The Expendables 4 was first announced in 2015. Almost a full decade has passed since that announcement, but things are a lot more real now with this trailer that includes some of the Expend4bles CinemaCon footage that our own Jessica Rawden witnessed first hand. As promised, the Jason Statham/Megan Fox fight was indeed steamy, and a welcomed addition to director Scott Waugh’s big follow-up.

Yes, it’s impressive that the Sylvester Stallone-driven franchise has finally returned with exploits like trying to sink a ship with a surprise anchor drop. It’s also cool that Andy Garcia is one of the new kids getting in on the action this time around, which is one of the things we knew about The Expendables 4 before this point.

But the relationship drama between Statham and Fox is a great addition to switch things up. It might even open some doors for the franchise’s potential future; especially if the female-led The Expendabelles ever gets off the ground, and if Jason Statham's Lee Christmas is truly going to take over the series from Sylvester Stallone's outgoing Barney Ross. We'll just have to see if this new sequel delivers at the box office upon its release.

All of this and more awaits fans when The Expendables 4 pushes the button, releasing this sequel into theaters on September 22nd. Don't fret though, as there's plenty of action waiting on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. So if you want to see stuff blow up and/or villains getting beaten properly, you'll certainly have options.

Rocky and The Expendables actor Dolph Lundgren revealed earlier this month that he’s had a long-term battle with lung cancer that was actually once so serious that he was told he’d only have a couple of years to live. The 65-year-old action star is currently doing well health-wise, and has now spoken to the response he received from the public since opening up about it. 

Lundgren shared a couple weeks ago on In Depth with Graham Bensinger that doctors found a tumor in his kidney back in 2015, which was successfully treated. Then in 2020, what he originally thought was acid reflux turned out to be more tumors in that area, which were inoperable. His doctor gave him a terminal diagnosis after finding them in his lungs, stomach, spine and kidneys. After losing a ton of weight due to a struggle to get down food, thankfully he got a second opinion about his condition, and medication helped shrink his tumors by 90%. On Monday, Lundgren shared how news of his cancer battle has helped others by saying this: 

In an interview with TMZ, Lundgren shared that talking about his personal experience with cancer has already led to a lot of people reaching out to him, including producers and people involved in projects he’s working on. Dolph Lundgren decided to reveal his personal medical history in hopes of inspiring others to look into their own afflictions, and as it turns out, it’s already proved itself worth it for him. 

It’s never easy to get real about overcoming struggles like cancer with the public, especially when it comes to such a larger-than-life star like Dolph Lundgren. However, the actor’s recent words shows that speaking out about it has really benefited others. Considering the National Cancer Institute reported roughly 2 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. in 2023, the disease affects so many people, and it isn’t necessarily being talked about a lot by famous people. 

Dolph Lundgren’s story with cancer thus far is jolting, but also one of hope. The actor stars in four 2023 new movie releases, including the upcoming Expendables film, which he has made sound very expensive and bloody. Lundgren will once again co-star with Stallone, Jason Statham and Randy Couture along with Megan Fox, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Andy Garcia, and Tony Jaa joining the cast. Additionally, Lundgren is among the Aquaman 2 cast as King Nereus. It’s great to hear the actor is doing well with his health nowadays and inspiring others! 

Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren first crossed paths on Rocky IV, with the former picking the latter to play Ivan Drago because he emanated the “flawless” quality the character needed to have. While working together on that movie resulted in the two of them forming a friendship, they didn’t team back up professionally until the Expendables franchise launched in 2010, which Lundgren was keen to join. However, the Gunner Jensen actor recently recalled a time when he wanted to punch Stallone while doing the first Expendables movie.

While appearing on In Depth With Graham Bensinger (via Variety), Dolph Lundgren noted how he and Sylvester Stallone have had “some good times and bad times, kinda like family to some degree,” then brought up when Sylvester Stallone was “very harsh” during a portion of The Expendables’ production. Along with playing Ross, Stallone directed the first movie, and at one point he “kinda yelled” at Lundgren in front of the crew, made him “do about 20 takes” one one scene and criticized his performance at that moment. Lundgren then said:

So these two hit a rough patch while making The Expendables, but the good news is it didn’t last long, and thankfully no punches were thrown. That said, this does call to mind when Lundgren talked about how Stallone went to the hospital during the making of Rocky IV, then heard he was blamed for that, though he suspected it was really an “insurance scam.” And this incident on The Expendables wasn’t the last instance of drama between them, as last year saw Stallone calling out Lundgren over the Drago spinoff in development, which led to the latter clarifying some things about that Rocky franchise project.

Overall though, these Hollywood stars remain on good terms with one another, and The Expendables was the start of more consistent collaboration between them. They went on to reprise Gunner and Barney two more times, and we’ll see them in these roles again for the 2023 new movie release The Expendables 4. However, given how early Stallone completed work on the fourth installment, it doesn’t look like he’ll be in the movie for long, with Jason Statham’s Lee Christmas taking over as the main lead. Stallone and Lundgren also re-teamed for 2018’s Creed II, and the Ivan Drago actor will also be seen stopping by The Family Stallone, the reality series premiering to Paramount+ subscribers on May 17.

Those of you eager to see The Expendables 4 will be able to so in theaters starting September 22. Dolph Lundgren will also be seen reprising Nereus in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which arrives on December 20, and Sylvester Stallone can currently be seen back as Stakar Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Rocky IV vet and all-around badass Dolph Lundgren has managed to keep his career as an action movie and TV maven going well into his 60s, whether it’s with the cast of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom or filming for the upcoming sequel The Expendables 4. Now, the Swedish actor has revealed he’s secretly dealt with some pretty huge health issues for a surprisingly long time, sharing that he’s been battling cancer and cancerous tumors for the past eight years. 

Having only recently made headlines when talking about the in-development Rocky spinoff tied to Karl Drago (which Sylvester Stallone wasn’t too kind about), Dolph Lundgren appeared in a new interview for the syndicated series In Depth with Graham Bensinger and spoke candidly about the struggles he’s faced for much of the past decade, saying it started with a tumor in his kidney being found back in 2015. And while it seemed okay initially, the actor explained:

The interview also included a clip from 2020 of Dolph Lundgren coming out of the surgery that removed six different tumors, looking quite pleased at having made it through that ordeal. However, the troubles weren’t over yet, as Lundgren shared he got a follow-up call later to say there was another tumor found in his liver. In his words:

At this time, Dolph Lundgren says he was extremely lucky to have learned the diagnosis when he did, as another form of treatment may have given him a far shorter life expectancy. As well, he remains hopeful that the medications and treatments that he’s going through will continue to hold all things cancerous at bay, and hopes that he still has years to go.

In the interview video, Lundgren's fiancée Emma Krokdal also shared her emotional story about being by the actor's side during recent years. She said there were points during treatment that he developed sores in his mouth that made it nearly impossible for him to eat or drink anything that wasn't completely flavorless and at room temperature. All that said, it sounds like his spirits remained high, even during the darker stretches, as he feels like he's lived several lifetimes during his 65 years so far, given his success in Hollywood and around the world.

In the meantime, he does plan to keep working for as long as he can, so here’s hoping we’ll get that Drago spinoff going as soon as can be, especially if Stallone gets involved as Lundgren hopes. While waiting on that, mark those calendars for the impending Aquaman sequel releasing in December, which Lundgren has claimed is better than the first film.

Creed III delivered a knockout performance at the box office when it hit the 2023 new movie release schedule, so it only makes sense that MGM and the producers of the Rocky spinoff series would be looking for more heavy-weight cinema gold. Well, Rocky VI vet Dolph Lundgren gives an update regarding rumors of another potential spinoff, and it should make fans of Balboa and Adonis stories very happy. According to the Masters of the Universe actor, the long-rumored Drago spinoff is still moving forward, and he’d love it if his friend Sylvester Stallone were involved.

During the promotion of his new action thriller The Best Man, Lundgren spoke with Fox News Digital about the Drago spinoff project. He says there was a script that he and the producers weren’t happy with, so though the project is still on, they are looking for a new writer. The actor said: 

The development of the Drago spinoff at MGM Studios sparked controversy as Stallone initially shared his not-so-nice thoughts about the project and went as far as issuing a public apology to his fans. He specifically called out producer Irwin Winkler and his sons, Charles and David, accusing them of “picking clean the bones” of the beloved boxing franchise and the character of Drago without even speaking to him.

Stallone’s initial criticism aside, Lundgren says the issues between the Rocky star and producers have been “cleared out,” and he holds out hope that his longtime friend will get involved both in front of and behind the camera. Dolph continued:

Before entering Hollywood, Lundgren was a successful competitor in Japanese karate. In the early 1980s, he transitioned to acting, and in 1985, he made his film debut in A View to Kill. However, it was his villainous turn in Rocky IV which launched him into Super Stardom. Following his success in the fan-favorite sports franchise, he starred in several iconic 80s and 90s flicks such as Masters of the Universe, Universal Soldier, the first cinematic interpretation of Marvel’s The Punisher, and more recently, The Expendables and Aquaman.

Dolph revealed that he has been filming a documentary for the past two years that will give fans a glimpse behind the scenes of his life and career, including interviews with Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. The actor expressed his surprise at the longevity of ’80s action stars like Schwarzenegger and Stallone, calling them great role models. 

Dolph says Drago could hit theaters in late 2024 or 2025, but it depends on when filming begins. It’s yet to be seen if Stallone will join his buddy on the spinoff project, but the two action movies A-Listers will share the screen soon in The Expendables 4, set to hit theaters in September. Until then, fans can relive the first matchup between “The Iron Horse” and “The Russian” by watching Rocky IV, available streaming, with their Netflix subscription. 

News of the recently announced Ivan Drago spinoff movie likely came as a surprise to many Rocky fans but, above all else, it was definitely a shock for franchise creator Sylvester Stallone. After highlighting his already contentious relationship with producers Irwin and David Winkler over ownership rights, Stallone shared some not-so-nice thoughts on the spinoff, claiming that the filmmakers were exploiting the beloved franchise. After seeing the 76-year-old actor’s blunt thoughts, Drago himself Dolph Lundgren responded with a social media message of his own.

It was honestly only a matter of time before Dolph Lundgren got wind of Sylvester Stallone’s displeasure over the spinoff news. Upon seeing Sylvester Stallone’s words, Lundgren apparently reached out to the Hollywood icon. He and Stallone have been close for years, a major contrast from the contentious relationship between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago. After checking in with his friend, the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actor took to his Instagram to address the discourse and clarify some information about the Drago movie:

So the whole ordeal was a misunderstanding, according to the 64-year-old actor. Per the star, nothing is set in stone, as there’s not even a script for the proposed spinoff at this point. At the very least, you have to commend him for stepping up and addressing the controversy caused by the news.

Dolph Lundgren’s statement does one reveal one particularly interesting piece of info, which is that he was apparently under the impression that Sylvester Stallone was involved with the spinoff movie in some capacity. Though based on recent developments, it would seem that the Oscar nominee isn't in the mix anymore. Recently, Stallone has been made it clear that he's upset over not having ownership of Rocky and Creed, despite having essentially birthed the franchise. One has to wonder how Lundgren got the impression that his former on-screen sparring partner was working on the project.

There have been rumblings regarding the proposed spinoff film's development for quite some time. The Drago spinoff is moving forward with Robert Lawton, who's been tapped to pen the script. Like Dolph Lundgren mentioned, not much is known about the film, though it's likely that the story will revolve around Ivan Drago and his son, Viktor, who was introduced in Creed II. We'll have to wait and see how MGM irons out deals for the stars' potential returns. 

Meanwhile, Michael B. Jordan’s Creed III just hit a setback, as the threequel got pushed back to March 3, 2023, from its original release date of November 23, 2022. Sylvester Stallone may not be a part of the Rocky franchise anymore, but it seems that under the current producers, it's going to keep expanding one way or another.

We'll be keeping our eyes on more news regarding the Drago spinoff as it arrives. Also, be sure to keep your eyes on CinemaBlend's schedule of upcoming movies, which still features plenty of exciting titles. You can also get an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the first two Creed movies if you're in need of some boxing-related fare.

Over 40 years after its inception, the Rocky franchise is still moving forward, thanks mostly to the Creed movies. And just this past week, it was reported that the Drago spinoff is moving forward, thanks to a major hire. The man who birthed the franchise, Sylvester Stallone, isn’t too pleased, though. Stallone recently posted an upset message about how he doesn’t have ownership of the boxing franchise. And after this latest offshoot was reported to be in the works, the 76-year-old actor shared some more not-so-nice words for the series’ current producers. 

Sylvester Stallone has specifically taken issue with veteran producer Irwin Winkler and his son, David, who’s currently spearheading the franchise. In his recent post, Stallone claimed that the two haven’t actually contributed anything substantial to the long-running film series. The Oscar nominee claims that late producer Robert Chartoff was the person who was most instrumental behind the scenes. The star even went as far as to call David Winkler a “remarkably untalented and parasitical” producer, who is allegedly the reason why more Rocky sequels haven’t been made. 

The Hollywood vet doubled down on those sentiments in another message that was posted to his Instagram. In it, he asserted that the producers were once again moving forward with a production that did not receive his input. He also addressed the fans directly while mentioning the actor who brought Ivan Drago to life:

Dolph Lundgren spoke about a potential spinoff just last year, saying that it was his understanding that such a thing was in development. (And he obviously proved to be correct.) The new project is reportedly being written by Robert Lawton, who impressed MGM with his work on the spec script for Becoming Rocky (which focused on the making of the original 1976 film). Plot details are under wraps at this time, but the movie is said to focus on Ivan Drago, who received a redemption arc of sorts in 2018’s Creed II. 

Speaking of the Michael B. Jordan-led franchise, the third upcoming installment has been shot and is currently in post-production. However, Creed III hit a setback recently, as it was delayed from November 2022 to March 2023. Details on the story haven’t been revealed, but what is known is that the movie will introduce a new sparring partner for Adonis. The character will be played by Jonathan Majors, who’s opened up about getting punched in the face for the role. 

It seems like Sylvester Stallone is going to keep taking jabs of his own as long as the Rocky franchise’s producing team continues to branch out. Stallone won’t be back for Creed III and, if things keep going in this direction, it’s hard to say if he’ll ever reprise the role of the famous Philadelphia-bred fighter again.

They’re back and they’re better than ever! Minions: The Rise of Gru has arrived in theaters as part of the 2022 movie releases, telling the beginning of everyone’s favorite villain, Gru, and how he came to use the Minions - ya know, those little yellow monsters - as his personal henchman.

But, with any Despicable Me movie, and especially with Minions 2, whether that be a main entry or a spinoff such as Minions: The Rise of Gru, there is always a star-studded cast, and that is the case with this film as well. Here is where you might have seen - or heard - the cast of Minions: The Rise of Gru before. 

Steve Carell (Gru) 

I’m sure it’s no surprise that Steve Carell, the man, the myth, the legend himself, has returned to voice the impeccable Gru - this time, in younger form for Minions: The Rise of Gru. But of course, you’ve seen Steve Carell in plenty of other places before, in both movies and television. 

Carell is probably known the most for his iconic portrayal of Michael Scott in the critically acclaimed The Office, but the actor has done plenty more in television since then, including the leading role on the Netflix original comedy, Space Force, a main role in the great Apple TV+ series, The Morning Show, a leading role in Angie Tribeca, and plenty of guest spots on many TV shows. 

However, Carell has also been plenty active in movies as well. You might have seen in comedies such as Evan Almighty, Date Night, Crazy, Stupid Love, or maybe even Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy. He's also done so much in drama as well, with appearances in critically acclaimed films such as Foxcatcher, Little Miss Sunshine, Battle of the Sexes, Beautiful Boy, and more. 

Taraji P. Henson (Belle Bottom)

Another fantastic talent on this list is Taraji P. Henson, who voices Belle Bottom in Minions: The Rise of Gru. This amazing actress has been around for some time and appeared in many movies and TV shows, with one of her biggest being Empire, where she portrayed Cookie Lyon, and received critical acclaim. 

She also has had several guest roles on many television shows, and was a part of the Annie Live! cast, where she got to show off her singing skills. 

Henson has also had a great run in movies as well, appearing in huge hits such as Hidden Figures, Hustle & Flow, Proud Mary, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Best of Enemies and so many more. 

Michelle Yeoh (Master Chow)

Another iconic actress that is added to the cast list of Minions: The Rise of Gru is Michelle Yeoh, who voices Master Chow, a kung-fu master. Most recently in 2022, Michelle Yeoh has been making headlines for her incredible performance in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, but Yeoh has been active in the film industry for decades. 

She's appeared in many movies, such as the James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians, Last Christmas, the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and so many others. 

Yeoh has also made her mark in television, with a role as Phillipa Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount+, as well as a role in the Netflix original series, Marco Polo. She’s also going to be in the upcoming The Witcher spinoff, The Witcher: Blood Origin. 

Jean-Claude Van Damme (Jean Clawed)

Playing Jean Clawed in Minions: The Rise of Gru is none other than action star himself, Jean-Clause Van Damme. This Belgian actor has made his name in Hollywood and appeared in a variety of movies and TV, showing off his skills as not only a fighter but as an actor. 

Some of his highlights in the film industry include the crime drama JCVD, Sudden Death, Maximum Risk, Double Impact, Cyborg, The Expendables series, the Kung Fu Panda franchise, the Kickboxer series, The Last Mercenary, and many more. 

Damme has made his mark on television as well, although it’s usually through guest appearances or hosting his own shows, such as Jean Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors, Ramez Movie Star or other series. 

Lucy Lawless (Nunchuck)

You ever wonder what a nun with nunchucks would look like? That’s what Nunchuck, who is voiced by Lucy Lawless, answers in Minions: The Rise of Gru. This iconic actress made a name for herself back in the ‘90s in the series, Xena: Warrior Princess, and has only continued to grow as a star. 

Some of her biggest roles in the film industry have been Boogeyman, Justice League: The New Frontier, Bedtime Stories, and more. Lawless has lent more of her talents to television, with roles in several big-time shows after her time as Xena, including Battlestar Galactica, Sapartcaus: Blood and Sand, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Spartacus: Vengeance, Parks and Recreation, Ash vs. Evil Dead, My Life is Murder, and more. 

Dolph Lundgren (Svengeance)

Next up, we have Dolph Lundgren, who voices Svengeance in Minions: The Rise of Gru, and he came to fame primarily for portraying Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Since then, he has appeared in a variety of movies and television shows. 

He portrayed the iconic He-Man in Masters of the Universe, and had big roles in films such as The Punisher, Showdown in Little Tokyo, Castle Falls, Wanted Man, Silent Trigger, and more. He also had a big role in The Expendables series, reprised his role as Ivan in Creed II, and was a part of the Aquaman cast. 

Lundgren has also had some time in the spotlight in regards to television, appearing in a recurring role in the CW's Arrowverse, on the flagship show, Arrow, as well as a main role in the series SAF3. 

Danny Trejo (Stronghold)

Let me tell you - Danny Trejo has been everywhere in Hollywood and is a badass, and it’s no surprise that he’s voicing Stronghold in Minions: The Rise of Gru. This man has way more credits than other actors. Seriously, just look him up, he’s all over. But, for the sake of the length of this article, we’ll go over some of his best. 

In terms of film, Trejo has appeared in many great ones, including Desperado, Heat, the From Dusk ‘Till Dawn series, Machete, Grindhouse, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Reindeer Games, and so many others. 

Trejo has also had a prominent career in television, with some of his biggest roles being a recurring voice part on King of the Hill, a role on the popular FX drama, Sons of Anarchy, and a role in the TV series based on From Dusk ‘Till Dawn - along with many guest roles. 

Russell Brand (Young Dr. Nefario)

Russell Brand has been around for some time in the business and he’s a great choice for voicing young Dr. Nefario, Gru’s partner, in Minions: The Rise of Gru. Originally, Brand became well known for hosting Big Brother’s Big Mouth, but continued to lend his talents higher profile projects. 

He starred in movies such as Get Him To The Greek, Hop, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Rock of Ages, Trolls, Arthur, and most recently, was a part of the Death on the Nile cast in 2022. He’s also had some parts on television as well, with most having been guest appearances or for his own shows, such as Brand X with Russell Brand. However, he did have an acting role as Lance on the HBO series, Ballers. 

Julie Andrews (Gru’s Mother)

Julie Andrews is straight up the love of my life and that’s because I adore Julie Andrews and her movies so much, and I am so happy that she’s back for Minions: The Rise of Gru to continue voicing Gru’s mother. 

Andrews is an icon in Hollywood. While she hasn’t participated that much in television, aside from a few guest roles and her work as Lady Whistledown on the Netflix show, Bridgerton, she has been huge in movies for decades now, appearing in so many legendary films that I’m sure you’ve heard of. 

Some of her highlights include, but are not limited to, The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Victor/Victoria, My Fair Lady, The Princess Diaries franchise, The Tamarind Seed, Torn Curtain, the Eloise at the Plaza series, and the Shrek series. 

Alan Arkin (Wild Knuckles)

Next up, we have Alan Arkin, who voices Wild Knuckles in Minions: The Rise of Gru. Alan Arkin has been active in Hollywood for a very long time, and has been nominated for many awards for his performances, so it’s no surprise that he’s adding  a voice-acting role to his already impressive resume.

Some of his biggest films have been The Russians Are Coming, Wait Until Dark, The In-Laws, Little Miss Sunshine (which he won an Academy Award for), Argo, Slums of Beverly Hills, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, Million Dollar Arm, and more. 

He’s also appeared in a few projects on television, such as Escape from Sobibor, as well as The Kominsky Method. 

RZA  

Last but not least, we have RZA, an actor and a music artist, who is in Minions: The Rise of Gru. As an artist, who originally got his start as part of the Wu-Tang Clan, he has scored many films that you might recognize the music from, such as the Kill Bill duology, Blade: Trinity, The Man with the Iron Fists, and more. 

But, as an actor, he’s appeared in many movies and TV shows as well. Some of his biggest films were American Gangster, Nobody, The Dead Don’t Die, and Life in a Year, alongside many other roles. He’s also guest-starred on shows such as Outlaw, Gang Related, The Simpsons, and more. 

With so many big stars, it’s not surprising to see that the cast of Minions: The Rise of Gru have done so many incredible things. I for one can’t wait to see what they do next - that is, after having a run at those pesky little minions.  

After years of many major animated movies like Trolls World Tour and Turning Red going straight to streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic, studios are finally bringing these family films back to theaters, most recently with Lightyear. Next weekend, the long-awaited Minions: The Rise of Gru is finally being released. So,should you plan to check out the flick starring a familiar bunch of overalled yellow bunches of fun? Let’s take a look at what the critics have to say. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru has had its share of delays over the years, with its original release date being summer 2020. But on the first weekend of July, the Illumination and Universal animated film is coming out. As the Minions: The Rise of Gru trailer teases, the movie will take audiences back in time to Gru’s childhood (in the 1970s) when he first meets the Minions. It serves as a prequel for the Despicable Me movies in several ways. 

On the review front, the response to the film is so far mixed. To get the most negative critique out of the way first, we’ll turn to The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw. The critic gave the movie two out of five stars and called Gru’s origin story “feeble.” Also, in his words: 

Bradshaw called the character of Gru “mildly funny,” but overall hopes the franchise is “laid to rest” after its fifth installment. Sorry to break it to you, but there’s already another Despicable Me film scheduled for 2024. Now let’s move to the more positive side of reviews for Rise of Gru. Slashfilm’s Rafael Motamayor for example called the new entry “pretty fun,” saying this: 

As Motamayor points out, the new Minions movie is especially entertaining when it comes to its use of its 1970s era, where a team of supervillains called the Vicious 6 come into the scene. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin was also somewhat complementary about Rise of Gru in their review, with these words: 

Variety’s Peter Debruge found Rise of Gru to be predictable, but found its humor good enough to be entertaining. In Debruge’s mixed review, he said this: 

Empire’s Olly Richards caps our review roundup off with another middle ground critique, calling the movie “fun,” but also being aware of the shortcomings that perhaps hold the movie back from absolute greatness. In their words: 

There you have it. Perhaps that’s your best measure when it comes to deciding whether you’ll go to Minions: Rise of Gru when the upcoming 2022 movie hits theaters this July. Did you like the other Despicable Me and Minions movies? If you have and don’t mind some of the same old tricks, it sounds like this prequel is worth your time. However, if you’ve been hate watching your way through the others, Rise of Gru likely won’t be the one to knock your Minion goggles and overalls on. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru is coming to theaters on July 1. Check out what we know about the latest Minions movie in the meantime here on CinemaBlend. 

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have been making countless headlines lately, as their legal battle in Virginia heats up before the public’s eyes. Both actors’ careers have the potential to be greatly affected by the upcoming verdict, and Heard testified on trial about the struggles in trying to continue playing Mera in the DCEU. Now co-star Dolph Lundgren has opened up about what it was like working with the actress on Aquaman 2.

Not much is known about the contents of Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, although some tidbits have seemingly arrived thanks to testimony at the Depp/Heard trial. Both Dolph Lundgren and Amber Heard are expected to pop up in the upcoming DC movie, appearing as father and daughter King Nereus and Mera respectively. The Rocky IV star was recently asked by Redline Steel (via TMZ) what it was like filming with Heard, responding with:

Well, there you have it. While Johnny Depp might have alleged a number of things about his ex-wife, it seems that Amber Heard was still great on the set of both Aquaman movies. As Dolph Lundgren recalls, she was kind to the cast and crew alike, while also balancing the responsibilities of new motherhood. It’s too bad Lundgren wasn’t able to take the stand, because he sounds like a great character reference for his onscreen daughter.

Dolph Lundgren’s comments help to peel back the curtain on what it’s actually like filming the Aquaman movies. Director James Wan is behind the camera for both blockbusters, which are pushing the boundaries of technology to give the cast a sense of weightlessness. It remains to be seen how Mera and Nereus will factor into the story of The Lost Kingdom, but the pair of actors seem to have a great working relationship. 

Aquaman 2 has come up a number of times throughout the Depp/Heard trial, where some slivers of information about the mysterious blockbuster might have been revealed for the first time. For instance, a DC boss revealed that Heard was nearly canned from her role due to a lack of chemistry with Jason Momoa. Additionally, testimony maintains that she’ll have a much smaller role in The Lost Kingdom when compared to the original Aquaman movie.

After Johnny Depp was fired from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, an online petition started circulating around the internet for Amber Heard to be similarly fired from playing Mera in the DCEU. Millions have signed, while Heard reprised her role for both Aquaman 2 and reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It’s become a fairly popular story over the years that during the production of Rocky IV Sylvester Stallone received a fairly significant “real life” beating at the hands of Dolph Lundgren. Stallone has said that he ended up in the hospital due to the injury, but Lundgren has a pretty good sense of humor about the whole thing, calling it all an “insurance scam.”

Sylvester Stallone has spoken about the injuries he sustained filming the boxing scenes in Rocky IV but Dolph Lundgren has said less about his perspective on what transpired. Speaking with Men’s Health, Lundgren responds to an online comment asking if the story is true. Lundgren says he only found out what happened to Sly after the fact. And he jokes that he’s not sure Stallone was really hurt, though he admits it’s possible he really did send the star to the hospital. Lundgren says…

Dolph Lundgren certainly was in “pretty good shape” filming Rocky IV. He had to look like a human wall of muscle, and he didn’t have CGI or a padded suit to make him look like that way, so he had to do the work. Lundgren says the punches were, at least to some extent, real, so both actors got knocked around. 

Dolph Lundgren’s recounting of the story does match up with what Stallone has said about the experience in the past. Specifically, that Stallone didn’t realize how much he had been hurt during the filming. It was only later that he realized he was seriously injured and ended up in the hospital. 

Lundgren was apparently already out of town by that point, so he learned he’d been blamed for hurting Rocky only later when hew was given extra time off. The Aquaman actor has said previously that he thinks the punches may have only been part of what was ailing Stallone, as the man was overworked producing the film. 

Luckily nobody died, though Sylvester Stallone has said he was far from certain that would be the case at the time. Rocky IV would go on to possibly become the most popular entry in the entire franchise. It’s plot was the starting point for Creed II  and it’s even received a special Director’s Cut, so we can now get a fresh look at the time Dolph Lundgren beat up Sylvester Stallone on film. 

Almost a decade following the last Expendables movie, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren have reunited to make a fourth film, which is expected to head to theaters sometime this year. In anticipation of the action sequel, Lundgren is teasing what audiences can expect. 

So far we know that Expendables 4 will boast a big cast and action set pieces, as per usual with the franchise. Dolph Lundgren’s recent words set up this movie as being an even bigger and bloodier event than some might have expected. Check it: 

This sounds like a shot at the MCU. Dolph Lundgren is right though. As of late, there’s been a lot of Marvel and DC content. This month alone we’ll see Robert Pattinson in The Batman and Oscar Isaac in Moon Knight. Expendables is offering big-budget action, but it’s not based on a comic book. The actor continued to Pop Culture: 

Dolph Lundgren is armed and ready to sell us on this movie! Along with the movie reportedly being bigger in budget than the previous films, he also highlighted that there’s a number of new cast members in the mix, including Megan Fox joining the team, alongside 50 Cent and Andy Garcia. 

Dolph Lundgren also said it’s “special” to have all the different personalities from the film on the set of Expendables. The 64-year-old He-Man icon said that he considers Statham and Stallone friends and enjoys spending time with them. He called the upcoming movie “old-school” because there’s so many stunts involved, and when they fire the guns on set, they are “full blanks.” There’s not a lot of CGI, which isn’t easy to come by these days in other massive franchises. 

Of course Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone began working together in 1985’s Rocky IV, where the Swedish actor portrayed Soviet-Russian foe boxer Ivan Drago. Lundgren has previously shared that he was initially attracted to the first Expendables because it brought Sylvester back into the director’s chair. This time around, stuntman-turned-director Scott Waugh is taking the helm. We’ll keep you up to date once Expendables 4 lands among 2022’s upcoming movie releases. 

After briefly appearing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and then working with his fellow superheroes to defeat Steppenwolf and his Parademon army in Justice League, Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry finally got the cinematic spotlight to himself in 2018’s Aquaman. Like the fictional Aquaman movie helmed by James Cameron in the Entourage universe, the real deal directed by James Wan was a smash hit at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing DC Comics movie with its $1.148 billion haul. So no one should be surprised that Warner Bros. and DC pulled the trigger on Aquaman 2, officially titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

With filming on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finally beginning in June 2021 and concluding the following December, the sequel is arriving at the end of December 20239. While a handful of plot details have been shared with the public (many of which came from the first Aquaman 2 trailer), this space is reserved for discussing who’s making up The Lost Kingdom’s main cast. So let’s go over the familiar and new faces who will be along for the ride.

Jason Momoa

Although he came to Atlantis’ aid during Justice League, Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry didn’t want anything to do with the underwater civilization going into Aquaman, as he thought they’d executed his mother Atlanna for loving a human man and having a half-breed son. However, Arthur was forced to get involved in Atlantis’ affairs when his brother Orm declared war on the surface, putting him on a journey that led him to discovering that his mother was alive and ultimately becoming the new king of Atlantis. 

By the time Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom begins, while Arthur has a firmer grasp on how to be an effective ruler, it also looks like he's still going through some growing pains, particularly coming to terms with not everyone liking him. Either way, he’ll be kept busy with both the emergence of the sequel’s title location and the emergence of enemies both old and new. But hey, at least he has a new costume to wear and is a proud father (although I am worried about that kid's fate).

Amber Heard

Arthur Curry wouldn’t have come to Atlantis’ aid in Aquaman if it wasn’t for Amber Heard’s Mera, who debuted in Justice League and has the ability to manipulate water. The daughter of King Nereus, the ruler of Xebel, was betrothed to Orm Marius, but when she learned about his plans to destroy the surface world, she turned to Arthur to help her stop this scheme. 

During the course of their journey together, Arthur and Mera developed feelings for each other, and now Mera rules by his side as queen of Atlantis. They've also had a child by the time The Lost Kingdom begins. However, we won't be seeing as much of Heard's Mera in the sequel, though director James Wan says it was always the plan for her to have less screen time as a result of the next character on this list being given a bigger role.

Patrick Wilson

Having already worked with James Wan on two Conjuring movies and two Insidious movies, Patrick Wilson came aboard Aquaman to play its chief antagonist, Orm Marius, a.k.a. Ocean Master, Arthur Curry’s younger half-brother. Following the death of his father, Orvax, and with Arthur wanting nothing to do with Atlantis, Orm was crowned king of the underwater nation, but that wasn’t enough for him. Despising the surface world for polluting the oceans, he attempted to establish an alliance between the other underwater kingdoms so that they could eradicate humanity. 

Had Mera and Willem Dafoe’s Vulko not sought Arthur’s help, Orm might have succeeded, but in the end, he was vanquished. Arthur decided to spare Orm’s life, and during Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the two brothers will have to join forces in order to defeat a familiar big bad. Wan has described the sequel as a "bromance action-adventure movie."

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s David Kane was already on a bad path when we met him in Aquaman, as he was part of a group of pirates led by his father, Jesse Kane. However, with Arthur Curry foiling their hijacking of a submarine and indirectly causing Jesse’s death, David vowed revenge. Thanks to Orm (who hired the pirates for the hijacking), he was provided Atlantean technology to craft his first Black Manta suit, but that still wasn’t enough to for him to defeat Arthur. 

Fortunately, David was later rescued by Dr. Stephen Shin, and the mercenary agreed to show the marine biologist where Atlantis was located in exchange for his help in exacting vengeance on Arthur. As was long suspected, David will be The Lost Kingdom's main antagonist, and along with wearing a new Black Manta suit, he'll be armed with the powerful Black Trident. With his added firepower and minions, he'll attempt to exact vengeance on Arthur and unleash destruction across Atlantis.

Dolph Lundgren

Although King Nereus was Mera’s former betrothed in the main DC Comics continuity, he was reimagined as her father in the DC Extended Universe. Like his comic book counterpart though, Dolph Lundgren’s version of the character also rules Xebel, which enjoys a better relationship with Atlantis in this reality. In Aquaman, Nereus was tricked by Orm into joining his campaign against the surface world and even arranged Mera to marry Orm. 

But upon learning the truth of Orm’s machinations and witnessing Arthur Curry control an army of sea creatures, including The Trench, in the movie’s climactic conflict, Nereus' allegiances shifted. He is now a loyal follower of King Arthur, and with his daughter now queen, it’s hard to imagine him not still supporting them in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Nicole Kidman

Arthur Curry discovered during the events of Aquaman that his mother wasn’t murdered like he believed. When Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna returned to Atlantis following her time with Thomas Curry, she went through with her arranged marriage to Orvax, and together they had Orm. Years later, Orvax discovered she’d had an illegitimate child with a human and sentenced her to be sacrificed to The Trench. 

Atlanna avoided being torn apart by going through an underwater wormhole which took her to the Hidden Sea, but the downside was that she remained trapped in this other realm for decades. Luckily, upon being found by Arthur and Mera in the present day, she was finally able to escape imprisonment and reunite with Thomas. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Atlanna will take over as Arthur's main advisor in place of Willem Dafoe's Vulko, who will not appear, as James Wan informed EW.

Temuera Morrison

Lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry, played by Temuera Morrison, saved Atlanna from perishing in a storm in 1985, and they quickly fell in love and had a son together. However, when Atlanna left her family behind to keep them safe from Atlantean forces, it broke Thomas’ heart, and he would go out every day to see if Atlanna returned. Thomas wasn’t involved with Aquaman’s main events beyond being caught in one of Orm’s attacks in the surface world, but he got a happy ending upon reuniting with Atlanna. 

I won’t lie though, I’m concerned about Thomas’ well being in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In the comics, Thomas died of a heart attack during a confrontation with Black Manta, and with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s version of the villain more desperate for revenge than ever, he could easily put Morrison’s Thomas in his crosshairs. This is strengthened by a moment in the Lost Kingdom trailer where Thomas looks badly injured.

Randall Park

Randall Park only had a minor role as Dr. Stephen Shin in Aquaman, mainly appearing on TV as a marine biologist fired from the United States Institute of Marine Science for his conspiracy theories about Atlantis. It wasn’t until the mid-credits scene that Shin became an important player in the wider Aquaman saga, as he rescued Black Manta after he was defeated by Aquaman. 

Realizing that Manta was using Atlantean technology, he asked the antagonist if he could lead him to Atlantis. David Kane agreed if Shin would help him find Aquaman. So expect Shin to play some kind of role in whatever sinister machinations Black Manta has planned, though if he’s like his comic book counterpart, he may eventually experience second thoughts.

Vincent Regan

Within the DCEU mythology, Atlan was the first king of Atlantis, and led his warriors in battle alongside humanity and the Amazons when Darkseid’s forces invaded Earth millennia ago. However, while running an experiment with his powerful trident, Atlan accidentally sunk Atlantis. Guilt-ridden over what happened, Atlan exiled himself to the Hidden Sea, and before he died, he decreed that only the person capable of properly wielding his trident could “unite all our kingdoms above and below.” 

Atlan was played by The Hobbit trilogy’s Graham McTavish in Aquaman, but Vincent Regan from Clash of the Titans is taking over the role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While Atlan was resurrected as an icy monstrosity in the New 52 continuity, it looks like Regan’s Atlan appearing solely through flashbacks, just like McTavish’s version. His scenes will shed light on the "curse" that the Black Trident left upon Atlantis' seven kingdoms.

Indya Moore

So far only one new established DC Comics character has been confirmed for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and weirdly enough, it’s not someone closely tied to Aquaman’s corner of the DC universe. Oh sure, as a tiger shark mutated by nuclear waste, Karshon would be right as home in Arthur Curry’s rogues gallery, but this villain is traditionally seen fighting Green Lantern. Nevertheless, The Lost Kingdom is bringing Karshon into the fold, and they’ll be played by Pose’s Indya Moore. There still aren’t any details about what we can expect from this version of Karshon, though I suspect the nuclear waste aspect of the character won’t be depicted on film.

Jani Zhao

Usually in comic book movies, most of the starring characters are people who are from the comics, but there’s still some room for brand-new people. In the case of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Jani Zhao has been tapped to play someone named Stingray, and it’s unclear if this will be an ally or enemy to Arthur Curry. With a name like Stingray though, it’s probably safe to say this is someone from one of the Atlantean kingdoms rather than a surface dweller.

Pilou Asbæk

Before Jason Momoa’s fame skyrocketed from his time in the DCEU, he was arguably best known for playing Khal Drago in Game of Thrones. Well, another alum from the hit HBO series is taking part in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Pilou Asbæk, who played Euron Grejoy. Unlike everyone else who’s previously been mentioned though, we don’t even know the name of Asbæk’s character in the Aquaman sequel, so it’s anyone’s guess for now how he fits into the picture.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to make a splash in theaters on December 20, and we here at CinemaBlend will keep you informed about more casting details as they come in. Don’t forget to also scan through our upcoming DC movies guide to learn what else this corner of the superhero movie market has on the way.

Hollywood is filled with legendary stories from classic productions – some of which are true, and others that are bogus. You never really know which stories you can believe, and even when you hear from the people involved, the sides of the story might be so different, they only add to the overall mythology. Rocky IV co-star Dolph Lundgren has been at the center of one of the juiciest rumors regarding sending the series star, Sylvester Stallone, to the hospital during the filming of the fourth Rocky movie. In a recent interview, he was asked about it, but even he doesn’t know 100% what is true. 

The way that Sylvester Stallone has been telling the story recently, he (as the film’s director) asked Dolph Lundgern to land a few punches, so that the final fight between Rocky and Ivan Drago (Lundgren) would come across as real as possible on screen. But Lundgren – who was in peak physical shape – connected on a couple of really hard punches, sending Stallone to the ICU for a reported 9-day stint. Lundgren was asked about this incident for a fan Q-and-A in The Guardian, and he kind of remembers it differently, saying:

We can easily see Sylvester Stallone playing up the impact of Dolph Lundgren’s punches during the making of Rocky IV, because they continue to add to the mystique that Drago was a killer, and the perpetual underdog of Rocky Balboa had no business being in the ring with him. Also, telling the media that you ended up in the ICU because Lundgren connected on real punches is far cooler than admitting exhaustion, though in hindsight, serving as the film’s director while also participating in several days of boxing bouts that look like this makes the exhaustion explanation far more feasible. 

We have had a number of opportunities to revisit Rocky IV, because it celebrated an anniversary in 2020, and then returned to theaters for one night when Stallone brought back a director’s cut of the movie that buffed a lot of the 1980s out of it, and connected closer to the drama of the first two Rocky films. The movie got good reviews, and really seemed to rekindle the legend’s passion for the story that he was trying to tell with that fourth Rocky movie… even if it sent him to the hospital, for reasons we may never finally be able to solidify.

Expendables 4 is currently in post-production, and the long-awaited movie is bringing back many of its stars for another action-infused go-around. Dolph Lundgren, for instance, is back in action alongside Sylvester Stallone, who seems like a good guy to work with. Lundgren seems to have a good time, as recently told a story about being pranked by Stallone during the making of the first movie, and it’s hilarious. Now, the star has explained why the franchise was appealing to him in the first place.

The actor recently sat down with Looper to discuss the massive film series, which has grossed over $800 Million at the worldwide box office. He spoke about the franchise’s future and what it means regarding his kids seeing him on screen and other takeaways from his involvement in the franchise. In the midst of all that action, though, the star explained that there's more to his love of the franchise, saying:

So one of the big draws for Dolph Lundgren was, of course, getting to work with Sylvester Stallone, the mastermind behind the who operation. Stallone has obviously been behind great franchises already such the Rocky franchise, which would catapult Lundgren into stardom after he played Ivan Drago in the fourth movie. Stallone was also all about including some classic action movie fights and shootouts, and that was appealing to his co-star, who is just old school as he is. 

The movie's idea was also interesting to the Drago actor because he liked the concept of a bunch of washed-up ex-soldiers and secret agents banding together to embark on extremely dangerous missions. Though in the same interview, the star also teased the new additions to the franchise, like Megan Fox, which make each new movie feel fresh. It's great that everyone involved is still invested, so it's likely they'll keep going as long as everyone’s on board.

One of the most exciting developments about the upcoming fourth movie is the introduction of a new villain, played by The Raid’s Iko Uwais. Jason Statham recently shared some cool behind-the-scenes photos working with Uwais on the film, giving the actor some serious respect for his skills. The project will clearly expand the cast and try to improve upon the over-the-top action of the previous entries, and I can’t wait to see if they can pull it off!

Meanwhile, Dolph Lundgren is also set to reprise his role as King Nerus in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which he is confident is better than the original. The sequel recently wrapped filming and is on schedule for a 2022 release, so we will be able to see Lundgren alongside Jason Momoa soon. With Expendables 4 also set for release next year, things are going to be pretty busy for the veteran action star, and he's sure to give it his all in every project in which he's featured.

The Expendables 4 has officially wrapped production, which means fans of the franchise are closer to get another installment in the action franchise. So far, we know a few things about the movie, though there are still plenty of unknowns. What is guaranteed is that Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren will once again star alongside each other in the upcoming film. The two Rocky IV stars obviously go back a long way, which means they're very close. On that note, Lundgren has revealed the A+ prank Stallone played on him while they were making the first Expendables movie.

The Rocky alum recently spoke with Looper about his new film Castle Falls and his experience working with Sylvester Stallone on the first Expendables. During the chat, he told a great story about getting pranked by Stallone while filming one of the first scenes in the movie. Lundgren went into detail on the joke, adding in his best Stallone impression and saying:

Wow, the actor/director made Dolph Lundren do over 15 takes of a simple joke and ultimately used the first one he did. It sounds like it was frustrating Lundgren, but it seems that even he had to admit it was a good bit. The box office-dominating film series always seemed like a nice way for all of the ensemble of action stars to get together and have a good time hanging out, and there are probably a ton of stories like this one. So it's easy to understand why everyone in the cast keeps coming back for more, and the newest installment should be just as fun.

Unfortunately, Expendables 4 saw multiple injuries, though the production was adamant that it did everything it could to make sure the cast and crew were safe while working. The film will reunite many of the franchise's key stars, who will be joined by some new faces. While working on the movie, Jason Statham even shared some badass set photos with The Raid’s Iko Uwais, a newcomer to the series.

Of course, many know Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone for their cinematic bout in the ring, and Stallone recently released his Rocky IV Director’s Cut. He was teasing it for a while and did so in a number of ways. He even touted the cut using some retro images of himself as the titular boxer and Lundgren as Ivan Drago. Stallone also told a story about almost dying after Lundgren connected with a real punch. It was a very close call and a reminder of how dangerous the sports movies could be to make. Still, the movie's legacy lives on, as does the work of the two stars. 

Dolph Lundgren recently commented on the possibility of a Drago spinoff following the character's return in Creed II, and his statements indicate that there have been some discussions about it. All the while, the actor is also set to appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and is confident that James Wan’s sequel will be even better than the original. Between the superhero sequel, Expendables 4 and Castle Falls, Lundgren has a lot on the way. For his sake, though, let's hope he didn't get pranked on any of these productions by any of his co-stars.

The DC Extended Universe has been on a roll lately, with Warner Bros. producing a number of director-driven blockbusters. James Wan’s Aquaman helped prove what the franchise could do, and fans can’t wait to see the sequel Lost Kingdom in theaters. And Aquaman 2’s Dolph Lundgren recently explained why he thinks the sequel is “better” than the original.

Filmmaker James Wan did a ton of innovating for the first Aquaman movie, with extensive wirework and visual effects used to give the cast a sense of weightlessness. Production for the sequel The Lost Kingdom began back in June, featuring both new and returning actors. That includes Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, who recently spoke about his time diving back into the franchise. In his words,

Well, I’m convinced. It seems like James Wan will bring the same detail-oriented work to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. And with the world-building and backstories in the rear view, it sounds like the Conjuring filmmaker will go even farther in the upcoming sequel. Is it December 2022 yet?

Dolph Lundgren’s comments to THR are sure to thrill DC fans who can’t wait to see what James Wan has up his sleeve for Aquaman 2. The director-writer-producer has teased how he’s going to greatly expand the mythology of Jason Momoa’s franchise, and it’s clearly gotten the cast excited. Although the public is completely in the dark regarding what this sequel will contain.

In his tease about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Dolph Lundgren specifically referenced the way technology has changed over the last four years. While he doesn’t cite whether he's referencing the wire work of VFX, it’s exciting to hear how James Wan’s crew is continuing to innovate. So perhaps the underwater action will be even more dynamic than the preceding film.

Dolph Lundgen also praised the new script by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who previously wrote the first movie. Jason Momoa has a larger creative role, being credited for the story of Aquaman 2. Although the cast and crew have been keeping their cards close to the chest regarding what’s actually in the sequel.

With the Trench spinoff officially cancelled by Warner Bros. James Wan is seemingly putting all of his creative underwater eggs into the basket of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. And fans can’t wait to see how the visionary filmmaker will expand his corner of the DCEU.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 16th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release list to plan your next movie experience. 

In 1985, Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa faced off against Russian powerhouse Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, a story that was recently explored through a new lens thanks to the director’s cut. Then in 2018, Dolph Lundgren reprised Drago for Creed II, which saw the character’s son, Viktor Drago, exchanging fisticuffs with Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed. Now, according to Lundgren, there’s been talk of continuing the Drago saga in a Rocky spinoff.

During a recent interview, Dolph Lundgren shared his disappointment over a fight between Ivan Drago and Rocky Balboa was cut from Creed II, but he then segued about how we might be seeing more of Drago in the future. As Lundgren put it to THR:

When we left off with Ivan and Florian Munteanu’s Viktor Drago at the end of Creed II, their relationship was in a healthier place thanks to the former realizing that the latter’s life was more important to him than any victory. It would be easy enough for us to leave off with the Dragos there and take comfort knowing that the cycle of dysfunction has been broken, but apparently there have been talks about reuniting with them in their own movie. Judging by Dolph Lundgren’s comment, it sounds like such a project is far from a sure thing, but the fact that it’s even being discussed is intriguing.

Currently the Rocky franchise is chugging along through the Creed film series, with Michael B. Jordan taking the directorial reins on Creed III. Sylvester Stallone has also talked about returning to the main Rocky film series with an epilogue story following the elderly boxing champion training a young fighter who entered the United States illegally. Throw in a Drago-centric movie, and that’s enough for this franchise to evolve into a full-blown cinematic universe. Given that Florian Munteanu’s fame has been boosted by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the upcoming Borderlands movie, maybe that combined with Lundgren’s significant profile can help with pushing the Drago spinoff forward.

For now, you can look forward to seeing Dolph Lundgren next in Castle Falls, which he also directed and produced. His other upcoming projects include The Expendables 4 and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Creed III will arrive in theaters on November 23, 2022, and Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago is now available to digitally for those of you curious about how Ivan Drago’s arc differs compared to what we saw of him in the theatrical cut.

You’re also welcome to look through our 2021 release schedule and 2022 release schedule to see what soon-to-arrive cinematic entertainment catches your eye.

Sports films come with intense physical demand as they aim for realism. Sometimes, committing to making the sports scenes look realistic comes with a cost. Sylvester Stallone learned that the hard way while filming 1985’s Rocky IV. Given how intense the boxing scenes were, one on-set moment could’ve ended Stallone’s career early. The Hollywood star revealed an incident where he almost died after filming a scene for his directorial debut.

Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago’s main match served as the focus for the sequel as Rocky sought to avenge his friend Apollo Creed’s death. But apparently, one boxing scene got too intense between Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren. While filming and directing Balboa and Drago’s infamous boxing match, the fight choreography went wrong as Lundgren accidentally connected with Stallone. Looking back at the scary incident, the Suicide Squad star recalled the almost deadly aftermath to Daily Mail.

Of course, on-set accidents are bound to happen, but this frightening episode would make others reconsider their choices. But for Sylvester Stallone, the show had to go on as he was starring in and directing Rocky IV. Knowing how close he was to death put those boxing scenes as well as the film in a distinct perspective. It was honestly a miracle the Rocky III sequel was completed. Most health crises would’ve promptly shut down production or caused the film to be shelved, especially when regarding the film’s star. Luckily, Stallone made it through the life-or-death scenario and managed to complete the film.

Revealing such a surprising story may give Rocky fans a new outlook on Rocky IV. The film was a labor of love for Sylvester Stallone. Many fans have noticed that dedication as Stallone crafted a director’s cut to show off his true vision. He’s kept his followers in the loop by showing every step from the re-edits to the re-release’s first trailer. His steadfast commitment to see Rocky Balboa rise again has kept the franchise going for four decades.

His love for Rocky IV translated to a potential impressive box office, which Sylvester Stallone took notice of this milestone. Of course, the set accident was just the latest story Stallone revealed from shooting the fourth installment. With its release on the horizon, moviegoers will finally get to see the Hollywood star’s full vision when Rocky IV re-release arrives in theaters for one night on Nov. 11.

The DC Extended Universe is an interesting place, as Warner Bros. allows filmmakers to take ownership over corners of the franchise. James Wan’s Aquaman did just that, using cutting-edge technology to give the cast a sense of being underwater. Another star recently confirmed their return for the sequel Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, and I’m psyched.

James Wan assembled a killer cast to join Jason Momoa for the original Aquaman movie. The supporting roles included icons like Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren, with the latter playing Mera’s father King Nereus. And Lundgren just confirmed his role in The Lost Kingdom, check it out below:

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to dive back into James Wan’s franchise with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The movie’s story remains a total mystery, but production has been underway since June. And it looks like the ensemble of the first movie is coming together again for another underwater adventure.

The above image comes to us from Dolph Lundgren’s personal Instagram account. The Rocky IV icon has over 2 million followers on the social media outlet, and they were delighted to see the first glimpse of Lundgren back as King Neureus. While he’s not in costume, he’s looking great in the character’s signature red hair.

In the first Aquaman, Dolph Lundgren’s character was manipulated by King Orm to join in a revolution against the surface. He ultimately came around thanks to his daughter Mera (Amber Heard), and it should be interesting to see how he factors into Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Hopefully he gets involved in more underwater action sequences like that epic final battle.

In his caption Dolph Lundgren is definitely hyping up the mysterious contents of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He praised those involved in the DC blockbuster, which should make fans happy. While keeping the movie’s contents under wraps, said caption reads:

It sounds like Dolph Lundgren is thoroughly enjoying his return to the DC Extended Universe in Aquaman’s highly anticipated sequel. While filming the first movie included a ton of grueling wire work to create a sense of underwater weightlessness, Lundgren still seems thrilled to be back in the thick of it.

The many fans of Dolph Lundgren will also be treated to more footage of the 63 year-old actor when Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky IV director’s cut is released. Lundgren’s role as Ivan Drago is truly legendary, and moviegoers can’t wait to enjoy it in theaters. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 16th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

As it turns out, the Expendables franchise isn’t expendable at all. The running joke of the durable action franchise happens to be that the classic silver-screen legends are going to live through a guns-blazing thriller, but that some of them might not make it to the end credits. As The Expendables found a larger audience, however, franchise shepherd Sylvester Stallone kept recruiting ridiculously famous friends to co-star, to the point where Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, and Harrison Ford appeared in The Expendables 3. Some of the gang is going to get back together for the just-confirmed fourth Expendables movie, which doesn’t have a title, but now reveals its director and cast.

Lionsgate revealed today that frequent Expendables stars Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Sylvester Stallone will lead the team for The Expendables 4, reprising their roles as Lee Christmas, Gunner Jensen, Toll Road, and Barney Ross respectively. They have all been part of the franchise since the original The Expendables, and at this moment, they are the only holdovers from the other Expendables films. In addition to these four core cast members, The Expendables 4 (not the official title) will feature Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, and Tony Jaa, who have been tapped to join the franchise in new roles.

The press release announcing the fourth The Expendables movie reveals that Scott Waugh will direct the feature, taking over the reins from Patrick Hughes, who helmed The Expendables 3 back in 2014. Waugh cut his teeth on the two action thrillers Act of Valor and Need for Speed, though his most recent film, Snafu, stars John Cena and Jackie Chan. And now I am wondering why the hell those two can’t show up on screen for the fourth The Expendables.

How do we feel about the newcomers to the series? Tony Jaa makes the most sense, on paper. Tony Jaa is a tremendous badass who has cracked numerous skulls in films like the Ong-Bak trilogy, Furious 7, and the recent cult hit Monster Hunter. Here he is fighting Paul Walker, which -- with all due respect to the late Fast & Furious star -- would not go down this way, or last quite as long as it does:

But 50 Cent and Megan Fox are unusual picks, even by The Expendables standards. Usually, the franchise will try to involve actors who have some form of an action background. They can be founding fathers of the action genre, like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. Or they could be newcomers trying their hand, with Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz and Ronda Rousey showing up in The Expendables 3. Fox and Cent have done action before, but I don’t think they are known for it, so I’ll be curious to see how they fit into the overall story.

The release states that The Expendables 4 will begin filming in the fall, so we may find out about a title soon enough. I'm not sure if I want a few more major, Planet Hollywood icons to sign on to the movie, or if Sylvester Stallone should strip away the artifice and get back, a little bit, to the lean core of the original movie. We'll see how this all shakes out.

In 2020, the 35th anniversary of Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone announced that he was putting together a director’s cut of the movie that saw Rocky Balboa duke it out with Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago. We’re only a few months away from Rocky IV’s director’s cut being released, but like any other movie, it’s getting a trailer beforehand. Stallone has now teased the forthcoming preview with a retro picture of him and Lundgren.

The face of the Rocky film series, not to mention having written all the original movies and directed all but Rocky and Rocky V, went on his Instagram to show people an old Rocky IV promotional picture he found of him and Dolph Lundgren, while also letting people know he’s seen the trailer for the Rocky IV director’s cut. Kill two birds with one stone, right?

To clarify, Rocky IV’s director’s cut will premiere in Philadelphia on November 11. It’s unclear when the trailer will drop, although since there’s a little over three months to go until the movie starts playing in theaters, one would imagine the public will get to see it soon. After all, it’d be nice to get an idea of how this version of Rocky IV will differ from the one that played on the big screen in 1985.

Rocky IV saw Rocky Balboa exchanging blows with Soviet powerhouse Ivan Drago after the latter killed Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed in an exhibition bout. Although it was met with more mixed critical reception compared to its predecessors, Rocky IV pulled in over $300 million worldwide and remains the highest-grossing movie in the Rocky franchise, including the spinoffs Creed and Creed II. Speaking of which, Dolph Lundgren reprised Drago for 2018’s Creed II, which saw his son Viktor clashing with Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed.

Other than removing the robot that Rocky gave to Burt Young’s Paulie, Sylvester Stallone hasn’t shared any specific details about how the director’s cut of Rocky IV will stand out from the original. Still, he hasn’t been remiss in promoting his new vision for Rocky IV, as along with this latest post, Stallone has posters for the director’s cut over the last several months. It’s also worth mentioning that the Rocky IV director’s cut will be accompanied by a documentary called Keep Punching: The Present Meets the Past.

Once again, you’ll be able to see the Rocky IV director’s cut on the big screen starting on November 11, the same day that Ghostbusters: Afterlife comes out. As far as Sylvester Stallone’s future with the Rocky franchise goes, while he won’t appear in Creed III, he has been working on another Rocky movie that will see the eponymous character training a young man who’s stuck illegally in the United States. Stay tuned for details on that project.

The DC Extended Universe has had an interesting life in theaters. The box office takings have ebbed and flowed, but fans are eager to return to franchises like Shazam! and Aquaman. James Wan broke new ground with the latter superhero flick, which used extensive visual effects and wire work to allow characters to appear underwater. And now Dolph Lundgren has offered a hopeful update on when Aquaman 2 might finally start filming.

The legendary Dolph Lundgren had a supporting role in James Wan's Aquaman, as Mera's father King Nereus. He took part Orm's underwater rebellion, before eventually deciding to rejoin Atlantis under the rule of Jason Momoa's title character. Lundgren seemingly has a role in the sequel, and recently revealed when the movie is expected to start production. In his words,

Well, that's certainly exciting. It looks like the DC Extended Universe will continue to expand, and James Wan is making plans for Aquaman 2 with Warner Bros.. Hopefully the plans go swimmingly, and production on the sequel begins this coming summer. Fingers and fins crossed.

Dolph Lundgren's comments from the virtual Wizard World panel (via Comic Book) is sure to delight moviegoers out there who can't wait to dive back into James Wan's underwater world. While the actor/martial artist didn't seem that he was 100 percent sure of his return as Nereus or the timing of filming, plans are clearly coming together at DC.

The development of major blockbusters is known to be long, so if Dolph Lundgren and his team have been in talks about Aquaman 2 that seemingly means that James Wan has begun the process. Even months out of shooting, Wan and company are seemingly in contact with the returning cast in hopes they'll be available once filming begins.

It makes a great deal of senes that Dolph Lundgren would be set to return for Aquaman 2, especially as the politics of Atlantis are further fleshed out. It'll be interesting to see the fallout of Orm's rebellion, especially since Arthur Curry's brother is still alive and well. Has Nereus proved his loyalty or is there still strife within the kingdoms?

Additionally, King Nereus is also the father of Amber Heard's character Mera. Their relationship will presumably be further fleshed out in Aquaman 2, especially if Mera and Arthur are still together. Hopefully Dolph Lundgren gets to do some more badass underwater action in the upcoming blockbuster.

The next installment in the DCEU is The Suicide Squad on August 6th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Once in a while, a meme goes viral and takes the world by storm. Many have come and gone, and the most recent has put Bernie Sanders at the forefront. The U.S. senator was one of many to attend the recent Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden and, during the event, someone snapped a photo of Sanders sitting and bundled up, complete with a warm-looking set of mittens. Since the image hit the web, many have taken the senator’s likeness and placed it in various settings, leading to some incredible memes. Now, Creed II and The Expendables star Dolph Lundgren has joined in on the craze with a perfect meme.

Dolph Lundgren is predominantly known as a star of action movies, so it was only fitting that he chose to share a meme that inserts Bernie Sanders into a faux poster for one of his most popular franchises. Check out the hilarious image from Lundgren’s Instagram down below:

The Expendables fans have been waiting for a fourth installment for a little while now, but they probably wouldn’t have pegged Bernie Sanders for a role. Now, this new meme may inspire fans to wonder what Expendables 4 would look like with the politician. Sanders never minces words, and many would agree that he would fit in well alongside massive personalities like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As for the actual Expendables 4 film, things don’t seem to be moving along too fast, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Randy Couture did, however, mention last year that he has seen a script and still intends for the film to be made. Things can change when a film is in the development stages, so maybe this Sanders meme will inspire him to give the senator a role.

It’s been fun to see just how many people are getting in on the Bernie Sanders meme craze, and celebrities especially seem to be having fun with inserting him into notable films and TV shows. Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Hart and Jamie Lee Curtis are among those who have found ways to get creative with Sanders’ now-iconic pose. Jared Leto even used a meme to provide a pitch-perfect response to Morbius’ most recent delay.

However, the star who’s arguably having the most fun with all of this is Star Wars alum Mark Hamill. The veteran actor used a couple of posts to showcase memes that place Sanders in iconic moments from the galaxy far, far away.

The Bernie Sanders craze likely won’t last too much longer, but it’ll be fun to see what other hilarious memes we get as a result. And one has to wonder if any of Dolph Lundgren’s fellow Expendables alums will drop a meme that rivals the one he shared.

The poster really should get Stallone thinking about a cameo for Sanders. I mean it wouldn’t be the craziest idea he’s ever had for the franchise.

Dolph Lundgren has been a longtime action movie star, with one of his earliest performance seeing him play the dreaded Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, who went up against Sylvester Stallone’s beloved Rocky in a bout for the ages. The two actors wouldn’t team up again until years later when Sylvester Stallone brought him on board for the large-scale action movie The Expendables. Now, Dolph Lundgren is celebrating that movie's 10th anniversary.

The Expendables was the novel idea of taking iconic '80s action stars and teaming them up for one big, action-packed film, with Sylvester Stallone in the lead role and boasting other heavy hitters, like Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren. Up until that point, Dolph Lundgren had spent years working on projects that hadn't receive the theatrical treatment. So understandably, he looks back fondly on his return to the big screen. Check it out:

It’s certainly hard to believe that The Expendables is already ten years old. Before huge crossover films like Avengers: Endgame, The Expendables was a one-of-a-kind experience many '80s and '90s action fans had long dreamed of.

For his part, Dolph Lundgren plays Gunner Jensen, a dangerous and crazy chemical engineer who seems to enjoy killing. Even though he’s a bit of a wild card, Sylvester Stallone’s character, Barney Ross, keeps him on the team. Jensen appears in all three movies, though overall it seems like his character gets the most development in the first.

The success of the first Expendables movie produced two more sequels over the past decade, and more big stars were thrown into the mix, like Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes. Chuck Norris even made a brief cameo in The Expendables 2, but didn’t return for The Expendables 3.

Fans may recall how The Expendables 3 suffered a few, unfortunate setbacks in 2014, including internet piracy, which may have contributed to its poor box office returns. But Sylvester Stallone also admitted later that dropping the rating down to PG-13 was a huge mistake they shouldn’t have made.

That said, all is not lost for the The Expendables franchise. At one point, Sylvester Stallone decided to walk away from the franchise, but now it seems he could be intent on making The Expendables 4 happen one way or the other.

Over the years, we’ve been getting hints and teases about The Expendables 4 moving forward. The last we heard, Randy Couture confirmed that the action-adventure movie is in the works and that a script had been written, but also admitted that there are a lot behind-the-scenes issues that needs to be worked out.

It’s understandable why a movie like The Expendables 4 could be tough to get off the ground. Not only would it need to recruit more high-profile stars, but it would have to convince a studio that it's worth making. Hopefully, it'll move forward soon so we can see Dolph Lundgren on the big screen again. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates.

Dolph Lundgren has made plenty of notable celebrity friends over the years, especially when it comes to his fellow action film veterans. Some of the actors he’s closest to are former co-stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the three try to show each other love whenever possible. So with Schwarzenegger’s birthday having just passed, Lundgren paid tribute to the Terminator star with a very funny story.

In an Instagram post, Dolph Lundgren wished Arnold Schwarzenegger a happy birthday and reflected on some of his favorite moments with the Austrian-born actor. One of these took place while Lundgren was training for his role in Rocky IV. The actor was trying to rest while his then-girlfriend, Grace Jones, was partying, but someone wouldn’t let him get some shut-eye:

Now, this is a memory that would be hard for anyone to forget. Can you imagine trying to get some sleep and then having none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger knocking at your door? What’s even funnier is how Dolph Lundgren addressed his knock. Despite Lundgren’s initial tone, it sounds like Schwarzenegger was nothing but smiles when his friend opened the door.

Despite having been friends for decades it took quite a while for both Lundgren and Schwarzenegger to actually share the screen. The two wouldn’t work together until the Expendables franchise, which would also star Sylvester Stallone. But based on their interactions, one would think they’ve been making movies together for years. You can check out Lundgren’s sweet post down below:

The two actors are getting up in age, but they’re showing no signs of slowing down. The past few years have seen Dolph Lundgren star in plenty of high-profile projects like Aquaman, and he even reprised his famous role as Ivan Drago in Creed II. Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger has starred in several action films, including a few Terminator sequels. So there’s definitely still a chance the two could team up for another film.

And even if they don’t join forces for another motion picture, we’ll still be able to find joy in the off-camera interactions between them.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of movies and TV.

While Sylvester Stallone has had an incredible career playing a number of iconic characters, he will always be remembered best for being Rocky. And while there are some truly great films among the Rocky franchise the movie that seems to be the most popular from a purely fan perspective may be Rocky IV. Rocky's cold war battle with Ivan Drago is probably his most popular fight, and Stallone also thinks its his best.

Sylvester Stallone shared some behind the scenes images from the making of Rocky IV on Instagram, and along with them, he paid the highest possible compliment to the work that he and his co-star Dolph Lundgren did in the film. He thinks that the boxing battle between Rocky and Drago is the best boxing fight in the history of the movies.

Boxing certainly is no stranger to film. We've seen a lot of boxing matches in the movies. Of course, the Rocky franchise is at the top of the list in general when it comes to big screen boxing matches, so in a lot of ways Rocky IV is going to be competing mostly with the other Rocky movies.

Still, Sylvester Stallone may be right. The boxing match at the end of Rocky IV tells a great story. Rocky goes into the fight the underdog, having the death of his friend Apollo Creed hanging over him. At first, nothing Rocky seems to do nothing to Drago, it's all he can do to stay on his feet. And then finally, a crack in the armor is found and Rocky attacks. It's difficult not to get swept up in the emotion of the whole thing.

Still, there are certainly some other great fight scenes in movies. The original Rocky, in addition to being a great film, has a great boxing match with an equally powerful story. The first Creed movie has a couple of great fights, including one that's energy is aided by the fact that it's filmed as a single-shot.

But give the fight in Rocky IV a look and see if you think it's the best boxing fight in the history of the silver screen.

It's certainly a great fight, even if it's not the best In addition to being well shot, it's got an excellent score that is designed to get the audience excited, and does so quite well. Whether you're watching the long rounds or the montage that makes up the middle of the fight, it's hard to get absorbed by the whole thing.

So do you agree with Sylvester Stallone? Is Rocky IV the best boxing fight in cinema history? Let us know your thoughts in the poll below.

This poll is no longer available.

It's been 34 years since Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren first shared the screen together in dramatic fashion for that classic Rocky IV rivalry, and the two action icons are getting ready to work together yet again for a new TV show. The project, titled The International, was first announced a couple of months ago and already great news has surfaced.

As of now, The International has a put pilot commitment set in place at CBS, the most-watched network on TV (when not accounting for NFL games). That's huge news for Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren, who aren't exactly the most well-known TV personalities at this point. It appears that CBS was the big winner of a huge bidding war for The International, which was initially shopped around to just about every television-minded company and studio in the biz.

While a put pilot order isn't a guarantee that a project will eventually get ordered to series, it's essentially the next best thing, since the network would get slapped with a stiff penalty if the pilot would fall through. Given the sound of this thing, and the people involved, The International does not seem destined to end up on the back of a dusty shelf somewhere.

For The International, Dolph Lundgren is set to star as Anders Soto, a wunderkind covert black-ops agent employed by the U.N. When problems are too fragile and labyrinthian for everyone else to handle, that's when Soto is called in to figure out the solution that no one else thought of. His verbal and mental skills are used for his duties as a negotiator, and his myriad other attributes play into his job as an international spy.

At this point, Dolph Lundgren is the only one of the two Expendables vets who is set to take an on screen role. Sylvester Stallone, meanwhile, will serve as an executive producer through his Balboa Productions shingle, and he will also be helming the pilot episode for CBS. (Lundgren also gets producer credit for the drama.) One can only hope that someone finds a way to get Stallone involving on the acting front.

The International is being written and executive produced by TV vet Ken Sanzel, who created the ABC series Reef Break and wrote for such shows as Blue Bloods and Numb3rs, where he was also an executive producer. Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Braden Aftergood will executive produce alongside Craig Baumgarte, with CBS Television Studios being the studio, according to Variety.

This one-hour drama marks the most recent team-up between Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lungren, who did not start off as best friends back in the Rocky IV days, when Stallone first cast him as Ivan Drago.Thankfully, their relationship blossomed over the years, to the point where Stallone called Lundgren up for each of the three Expendables movies, and they went head to head for the Rocky spinoff sequel Creed II.

Should The International get ordered to series, it would be only the second lead TV role for Dolph Lundgren, who has made more of an effort to appear in more TV shows in recent years. His first marquee role was for the first-run syndication drama SAF3, which only lasted 20 epiosdes. Arguably his biggest TV role to date has been as Konstantn Kovar on The CW's Arrow, though appearances in hit comedies like Workaholics and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia only help to boost the actor's cred with other genre fans.

This would also be the first time that Sylvester Stallone, whose Rambo: Last Blood recently hit theaters, set himself up behind the camera for a small screen endeavor. The actor also has ideas for a Rambo prequel, but those plans are in the early stages.

Speaking of early stages, that brings us back around to The International, and our hopes that Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren's new TV show gets ordered to series in the nearest of near futures. Make it happen CBS!

It’s always fun to hear the first impressions friends have of each other before becoming pals. Oftentimes, the closest relationships have unexpected beginnings. Sounds like Sylvester Stallone has had a number of instances like this. His famous feud with Arnold Schwartznegger in the ‘80s and ‘90s later bloomed into a sweet friendship and apparently the same can be said about his history with his Rocky IV co-star Dolph Lundgren.

When he was casting Ivan Drago for his 1985 Rocky sequel, he explains his initial reaction to meeting the Swedish legend with these words:

Sounds like Dolph Lundgren had quite the theatrical entrance into Sylvester Stallone’s life. His chiseled facial features and towering stature intimidated him, but he ended up using his dislike of him to the advantage of the movie. Ivan Drago is an iconic villain to this day (he recently returned for Creed II), cast perfectly by the Rocky filmmaker. Stallone continued:

It’s kind of amazing to hear what Sylvester Stallone thought of him! Especially because many would probably use the same exact words when describing his colleague. Although the actor didn’t show an instant likeness to his costar, the pair ended up having a long working relationship that continues over 30 years later.

Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren have starred together in the Expendable films and another may still be on the way. After returning to bring more depth to Ivan Drago in Creed II, they may also work together again for an upcoming television series called The International. Stallone is producing the project and may direct, with Lundgren nabbing a central role.

Check out Sylvester Stallone talk about Dolph and The International on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

How exciting. As discussed in the interview, Sylvester Stallone is currently promoting the release of his new film, Rambo: Last Blood. The movie sees the return of another one of his iconic characters for the first time in 37 years. The movie is said to be Rambo’s final mission, as he confronts his past on a path of revenge.

Rambo: Last Blood is expected to open with $21 million this weekend against new releases Ad Astra and Downton Abbey. However, the movie is getting negative responses thus far, with CinemaBlend’s own Dirk Libbey giving the film 1.5 stars out of 5 in his review and a 31% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Rambo: Last Blood is in theaters now!

Creed II was one of the better sequels that the larger Rocky franchise has ever produced, but that film itself was dependent on what is probably the most popular sequel in the franchise Rocky IV. Creed II revisits that movie with a focus on how the events of Rocky IV had an impact on both men in the ring at the end of that film.

What Creed II doesn't do, somewhat unfortunately, is put Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago up against each other once more, although it very nearly did. A scene was filmed for Creed II between Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren that would have had their characters get involved in an old fashioned fist fight, rather than a sanctioned boxing match, but the scene was cut from the film. Dolph Lundgren recently revealed that the decision to remove the scene apparently really upset Stallone...

The scene follows the first match between Adonis Creed and Viktor Drago. Creed wins the fight when Drago is disqualified for hitting him while he's down, but Creed is hurt badly and is in the hospital. The fight promoter arrives at the hospital with Ivan and Viktor to confront Adonis, but Rocky stops them in the hospital lobby, leading to the altercation. The scene is available on the video release for Creed II, but Stallone also showed off the behind the scenes work for the scene on social media a few months ago.

Dolph Lundgren also revealed at the FanX convention in Salt Lake City (via comicbook.com) that filming the scene got a little heated, as it was apparently filmed at the end of a long day and Sylvester Stallone had been feeling the effects of it...

While it would have been great for old school Rocky fans to see Stallone and Lundgren go toe-to-toe one more time, the fact is that Creed II didn't really need it. The movie isn't about the last fight, it's about the next generation dealing with the trauma that came from the first one. While Drago certainly has a reason to want to punch Rocky in the face a few times, it likely would have distracted the movie for little reason beyond fan service.

When a major character in a movie franchise dies it's almost always a big deal, but few on screen deaths have hit fans quite as hard as that of Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. Apollo was killed in the boxing ring by Ivan Drago and the moment was so monumental that the recent Creed sequel felt compelled to revisit it.

The two men involved in that sequence were Carl Weathers as Creed and Dolph Lundgren as Drago, and the pair apparently found themselves working out together, as a new image from Lundgren shows the pair together at Gold's Gym in Venice California.

Dolph Lundgren is absolutely right that Apollo is looking dangerous. In fact, both actors look great. If there was an actual rematch between the two, it would probably be one hell of a fight.

It was great to see Dolph Lundgren return to the Rocky franchise with Creed II. The film showed how the end of Rocky IV had impacted the character of Ivan Drago and his family. Of course, the problem with killing off a major character is that you can't bring them back for the franchise reboot, so we've had to do without a return for Carl Weathers.

On the plus side, Carl Weathers will be making a big return in another major franchise very soon, Star Wars. He's a member of the cast of The Mandalorian, the first Star Wars series which will debuting on Disney+ on November 12.

In addition to Creed II Dolph Lundgren was also recently seen in Aquaman, and the actor has a host of smaller films in various stages of production right now.

Interestingly, we don't what's in the cards for Carl Weathers in the future. He may have been at the gym simply to keep fit for his own sake, but he also might be there in order to get fit for a particular role. If that's the case, we have no idea what that role could be.

This picture makes one wonder why Carl Weathers was never in an Expendibles movie. He may be older but clearly he's in great shape and can hold his own in an action movie. Hopefully, The Mandalorian will let Weathers be part of some great action, which will then lead to more roles.

For the last several years Carl Weathers has mostly been a TV actor and it's time the movies took him back. We need him back on the big screen.

As for where Apollo Creed's son will go after Creed II. That's currently unknown. It seems likely that a Creed III is in the cards. The sequel did well at the box office and everybody involved seems willing to come back, so the name Apollo Creed likely isn't going anywhere, even if we can only imagine what an older Apollo would actually be like in the movies.

Not so "expendable" now! Rocky IV, Creed II, and The Expendables franchise stars Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren are teaming up once again for an action drama TV series. The show doesn't have a premiere date yet -- they haven't even shot the pilot at this point -- but it's called The International and it's already garnering a lot of interest in the industry.

It sounds like Dolph Lundgren will be the star -- which I can't complain about, since the camera still loves the 61-year-old action hero. Sylvester Stallone will be executive producing and possibly also directing the project. Based on this early word, it doesn't sound like Sly will be on screen, but I wouldn't be shocked if he was talked into at least a cameo.

Apparently, the new series was pitched to Fox, CBS, and NBC and also drew interest from Netflix and Apple. Deadline said ABC was the only major network not to get a pitch, since it's angling more toward female fare -- like Starz, it seems. It sounds like the show was a hit in pitches, and it's now one of the most sought-after shows of the new TV season.

The action series will reportedly star Dolph Lundgren as a covert operative at the Department of Safety and Security at the UN. He is described as the UN’s secret special agent, a one-man S.W.A.T. team and hostage negotiator. Sylvester Stallone revealed on Instagram that the show will be titled The International.

Ken Sanzel will serve as showrunner of the pilot, which he also wrote. Sylvester Stallone may direct it. The guy is pretty busy. He did direct The Expendables in 2010, after co-writing the script, but his directing credits have been pretty sparse since then.

Stallone and Dolph Lundgren recently reunited off-screen for some goofy fun with their Expendables buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's clear they enjoy each other's company. That's good to hear, since Stallone keeps teasing The Expendables 4, most recently posting that "The boys will be back in town soon!"

Sylvester Stallone is big on keeping in touch with his old school action heroes, including his co-stars in The Expendables, but also franchise icons like his Rocky and Rambo. It sounded like he was retiring Rocky after Creed II, but several months later he's back with a new Rocky movie idea. And he already has Rocky V: Last Blood in the can, ready for its hard R release on September 20.

Last year, Dolph Lundgren brought Ivan Drago back for Creed II and also played King Nereus in DC's billion-dollar-baby Aquaman. Lundgren also played Konstantin Kovar in six episodes of Arrow, and had a role in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming. He's been in all three of Stallone's Expendables movies so far, so he's expected to be back for Expendables 4.

Are you curious to see where this action series lands -- network, streaming, etc. -- and how it turns out?

If you want to see what it looks like to be forever young -- or at least forever blissfully immature -- check out action movie icons and Expendables co-stars Sylvester Stallone, 73, Arnold Schwarzenegger, 71, and Dolph Lundgren, 61, goofing around with a camera during a recent gathering.

Gotta love Ahhhnold chomping a cigar in his mouth through it all, with the sound of cackling laughter in the background of Stallone's video.

Goofballs. Not gonna lie, though, Dolph Lundgren is still a beauty.

Apparently the guys were gathered at Arnold's house, where he was hosting the German football team FC Bayern Munich:

Dolph shared a similar photo with his old friends:

If they can have this much fun off screen, hopefully they can channel that energy for The Expendables 4.

All three forever-young-bros have been in the three Expendables movies to date. Sylvester Stallone co-wrote and directed The Expendables, which came out in 2010. Sly is busy working on The Expendables 4, and just had a flash of new inspiration. Arnold said he wouldn't be in the fourth movie unless Sly returned, and there was some question about that at one point. But now it sounds like they will be back, and hopefully Dolph will join them -- among many other action movie favorites.

Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone go back to Rocky IV -- Rocky Balboa vs. Ivan Drago -- which came out in 1985. Lundgren's Ivan Drago returned to co-star with Sly's Rocky in Creed II in 2018. Apparently Stallone is not as done with Rocky as we thought, since he's working on a new Rocky movie and also has plans for some streaming work.

Sylvester Stallone just saw Escape Plan: The Extractors released straight to DVD, and it did much better than anyone seemed to expect. (Better than the second one, anyway.) Next he has Rambo V: Last Blood opening September 20. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning as the T-800 in Terminator: Dark Fate, opening November 1.

Will Creed star Michael B. Jordan continue to follow in Sylvester Stallone's Rocky footsteps by directing some films in the franchise? Dolph Lundgren would be down for that.

One of Dolph Lundgren's first film roles was Ivan Drago in Rocky IV in 1985. Ivan Drago returned in the 2018 movie Creed II as trainer of his son Viktor. Lundgren is hoping there's a place for him in Creed III (although he previously shared a special condition for his return).

Dolph Lundgren was just at Celebrity Fan Fest in San Antonio, and shared an update on Creed 3:

So, based on what Dolph Lundgren said at the fan fest (via SuperBroMovies), he must've heard that there's a role for his Drago in the third Creed movie. Michael B. Jordan has already expressed an interest in continuing as the character of Adonis Creed, and I like the idea of Jordan continuing the Rocky tradition of helming a sequel.

Sylvester Stallone wrote the first Rocky movie, which came out in 1976, but he didn't make his directorial debut until Paradise Alley in 1978. He followed that by directing Rocky II in 1979. Sly continued by directing Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Rocky Balboa.

The first Creed movie was directed by Ryan Coogler, who also directed Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station and Black Panther. The second Creed movie was directed by Steven Caple Jr.

Director Steven Caple Jr. already has some ideas for Creed III, so he may be continuing with the franchise. There's nothing official on that front, though.

If Michael B. Jordan does ever direct a future Creed movie, it probably wouldn't be his directorial debut. In November 2017, it was announced that MBJ would adapt the novel The Stars Beneath Our Feet as his directorial debut. According to Deadline, MBJ planned to produce and direct the film. Here's what the actor said about the movie at the time:

The status of that project isn't clear, it may still be in the screenwriting phase, so you never know what movie might make it to the big screen first. Sylvester Stallone appeared to retire as Rocky, saying goodbye to the role after Creed II. But, more recently, he shared a new idea he had for Rocky.

Whatever happens from here, it does sound like there's more gas in the Creed tank. Stay tuned for any further updates. Keep up with everything we already know is heading to the big screen this year with our 2019 movie schedule.