Sigourney Weaver passed on leading a female spinoff film in The Expendables franchise

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were the leading action heroes in the 80s and 90s. They even competed against each other at the time and had a feud going on between the two movie stars. However, by the 2000s, they made peace with each other, and Stallone cast Schwarzenegger as Trench in The Expendables franchise.

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Expendables 2

The franchise saw the mishmash of old and current action heroes working together and defeating a common enemy. Stallone also tried to include actresses known for starring in action films. However, one actress passed on starring in a spinoff of The Expendables and also pointed out the state of female action heroes in the industry.

Sigourney Weaver Passed on Expendabelles, Criticizes Sexist Hollywood

Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is one of the most iconic female action heroes of all time

Sigourney Weaver is most popularly known for her role as Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. The actress destroyed stereotypes and showed critics and audiences that a woman can convincingly portray a strong protagonist who is fearless and heroic. However, Hollywood did not know what to do with the actress, and Weaver pointed it out in an interview.

In 2014, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Weaver turned down starring in a female spinoff of Sylvester Stallone‘s Expendables franchise called Expendabelles. She was already unhappy with how Hollywood treated female action heroes and how the industry did not see them as equals to other high-caliber actresses.

She also called out the sexism in the industry regarding female action heroes compared to their male counterparts. Weaver told Roger Ebert,
“It went on and on. About Arnold and the other top box-office men, and what that meant about their careers. But it didn’t even say, ‘Isn’t it interesting that there’s a woman in the top three?’ They sort of went, like, it was a fluke. It’s funny.

I seem to fall between the cracks. I’m not considered a legitimate action hero because I’m a woman. But I’m not considered in the same category with high-toned actresses like Glenn Close and Meryl Streep because I’m an action figure. See what I mean?”
Although the perception towards the same has shifted over the years, Hollywood has frequently resorted to ‘ticking boxes’ and implemented forced agendas that ruin the narrative of female-led stories. It is a constant evolution that one hopes will get better as time goes on.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reunites With Danny DeVito On Broadway Set

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito play fraternal twins in 1988’s Twins

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito have been close friends ever since they starred in 1988’s Twins and 1994’s Junior. The duo recently reunited on DeVito’s Broadway set for the play I Need That.

Schwarzenegger posted a picture of them on Instagram where he praised DeVito’s performance in the play while also expressing his excitement about working together in the future. He said,

“My brother! It was fantastic to see Danny on Broadway in I Need That. He and Lucy and everybody involved kept the audience entertained, laughing and loving every minute – one of the best plays I’ve ever seen, a true spectacle with heart!! I can’t wait to work together again.”
Schwarzenegger has already told The Hollywood Reporter that he is developing a reunion film with DeVito. An official announcement is awaited, and the actor is also expected to start work on FUBAR season 2 sometime this year.