Hollywood Chooses Newbie Action Star Gina Carano To Headline Female Expendables Film
i swear by my pretty floral bonnet i will end you
In a surprising announcement, the folks making that Expendables-inspired action film starring women instead of men, have chosen Haywire star and former MMA fighter, Gina Carano to lead the cast. Interesting.
The film has yet to find an actual name, which is why everyone is still referencing Expendables. Though I hope they pick one soon because once the next Expendables film, which director Simon West mentioned would have female action stars to go along with the established male cast, starts production, things are going to get confusing.
This project is being put together by Adi Shankar’s banner, 1984 Private Defense Contractors, and they’ve got unknown Dutch Southern to write the script. But the interesting news today is they’ve picked another newcomer to headline the movie.
Carano was hand-picked by director Steven Soderbergh for Haywire, the spy thriller which vaulted her into the spotlight. She’s set to continue her action career in The Fast and the Furious 6 and In the Blood which has a Taken-like concept.
Shankar had this to say about his decision to hire Carano, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to make a movie that is supposed to be the female version of ‘The Expendables’ without Gina Carano in it. It would be like making Twix without caramel or Jamba Juice without jamba.”
“[The] company remains in talks with several prominent actresses affiliated with the action genre in addition to Carano,” writes Variety. We’ve already heard Michelle Rodriguez turn down a spot in the flick (though no one had officially approached her to my knowledge) because she didn’t think she had enough action film experience under her belt.
Rodriguez compared The Expendables to pointing and laughing at things in a museum. “But I don’t think I’ve done enough to go there and look at the museum,” she said. “I think I need another ten years before I’m ready to make fun of myself.”
While myself and others would disagree with Rodriquez, it’s safe to say Carano is well below her experience level. If they are really trying to replicate the established franchise, I’d think they’d go with someone like Sigourney Weaver or Pam Grier to lead the cast. Or, if they feel the need to skew younger, someone like Milla Jovovich who just had her Resident Evil saga become the first female-driven action franchise hit five films.
(via Collider)
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