Despite being friends with Sylvester Stallone for twenty-five years, Jackie Chan refused to star in Stallone’s The Expendables series opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, in Expendables 2 and 3. In a 2014 interview with Den of Greek, the martial arts legend explained the reason why he was hesitant to be a part of the Expendables series which included Jason Stratham, Dolph Lundgren and other famous actors. Not only this, he related how he asked Stallone an intriguing question when asked about being a part of Expendables 4.
Describing to how he received an official call at his office to be a part of the Expendables movie, Chan hinted at how he wanted a change in the movie cast and in the format of the movie. His perspective is interesting, considering the fact that Stallone has experimented with his cast, adding new actors like Megan Fox, Jacob Scipio, and Andy Garcia.
Jackie Chan’s unfiltered take on an offer by Sylvester Stallone
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Chan narrated that while he acknowledged the offer for Expendables 4 and didn’t refuse it at first, he asked Stallone a pointed question – “Sly, can’t we do just you and me? Not just a bunch of people and me coming out for only five minutes.” These words indicated how the martial arts legend was hesitant to be a part of a multi-starrer cast.
Continuing, he elaborated on his reluctance, to Den of Geek.?”Because, then the audience is Oh! and then I’m gone.”, explained Chan. His words clearly hint at the fact that he didn’t want a minor role in the movie where the effect on the audience is short-lived.
Earlier, the martial arts legend had also explained a reason why he wouldn’t be a part of Expendables 2 at a press conference while promoting his movie CZ12 (Chinese Zodiac) in 2012. He stated, “Sly had invited me to be in Expendables 2 but I was too busy filming CZ12 and couldn’t make a commitment to the film.” This is not the only time the martial arts champion has refused roles in Stallone’s films. Shockingly, the Karate Kid Actor had also said no to two of Stallone’s films in the past.
Jackie Chan tells Sylvester Stallone ‘No’ for an interesting reason
According to a report by Fandom Wire, Chan didn’t accept Stallone’s offer for playing the role of a villain in Stallone’s movie Demolition Man, which was later released in 1993. The reason for this was that he didn’t feel the role was right for him and would negatively affect his ‘positive hero image.’
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Later, Chan was offered another opportunity by Stallone to act as a drug dealer in the fourth instalment of Stallone’s Rambo movie series. However, the Chinese Zodiac actor also didn’t agree to this offer due to his view that the role was inappropriate for him and would depict him differently than his earlier, heroic roles.
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Chan’s actions prove he is sure about his path and the kind of roles that best suit him. Do you think Chan took the right decision by turning down Stallone’s offer to act in Expendables 4? Share your thoughts in the comments section.