The internet has been on fire with the news of a female version of The Expendables. Variety reports “Adi Shankar’s banner 1984 Private Defense Contractors has tapped Dutch Southern to write an all-female riff on the star-studded action franchise. Shankar (‘The Grey’) will produce for 1984 Private Defense Contractors, which plans to fully finance the ‘Expendables’-inspired project. Company is already in talks with several prominent actresses affiliated with the action genre.”
While most are calling this film Expendables 3, it says “all-female riff” and “Expendables-inspired project,” so I would like to think that it will be a film franchise all unto its own and not a sequel. These women deserve their own spinoff film. Plus, I’m greedy and I want to see an Expendables 3 with more action men and an all-female film. Simon West, director of The Expendables 2, told E! News who he’d like to cast in a female film: “I like the idea of the Expenda-Belles where it’s seven or eight women mercenaries,” he said. “It would be Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Milla Jovovich, the list goes on. Helen Mirren, Jamie Lee Curtis would be great.”
Agreed! My dream team would include Sigourney Weaver, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Michelle Yeoh, and Chick Norris Award winner Gina Carano as the main team of mercenaries, with special action appearances/cameos by Pam Grier, Linda Hamilton, Cynthia Rothrock, and Helen Mirren. As for the baddies, I would love to see Lena Headey, Lucy Liu, and Lucy Lawless. So those are my picks; everyone else would have to wait for the sequel. Who would you cast?
This is the Action Flick Chick, and you’ve just been kicked in the ass!
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Definitely would have to be Uma Thurman, Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Biel, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriquez. Would be bad ass.
I would include Geena Davis, because anyone who has seen “The Long Kiss Goodnight” knows she kicks it with best of them.
Summer Glau could bring a lot to the film. Summer always brings her A game as we saw in Firefly, Serenity, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Sigourney Weaver would be at the top of my list. Linda Hamilton, Carrie Fisher, Daryl Hannah, Anne Parillaud, and Pam Grier would be great too. There are so many other great female action stars… Milla Jovovich, Lucy Lawless, Uma Thurman, Michelle Yeoh, Natasha Henstridge are a few that I think would be great in this type of movie…
Agree on Summer Glau. Would also like to see the less well-known Zoe Bell. Mainly a stuntwoman, she did a good job with her own role in Angel of Death.
In general it would be nice to see more of female action stars who have the physical assets to back it up. Gina Carrano, Michelle Yeoh, … there aren’t many, but I’d sure rather watch them in action than any of those supermodel types who would probably break their wrist if they tried to punch someone in real life. Not that I mind the latter either (and there are surely quite a few male action stars like that as well), but the former are so much better.
Linda Hamilton! My most favorite heroine ever. Tough without ever worrying about being sexy, and one of the best actor transitions in a franchise EVER! (From mousy waitress to mother of a revolution.) And also, my Sarah Connor Halloween costume was very highly received 🙂
I would definitely include Zoe Bell. She was Lucy Lawless’s stunt double in Xena, Uma Therman’s stunt double in Kill Bill, and played herself in Grindhouse: Death Proof. A movie like this just wouldn’t be the same without this bad-ass Australian.
Sorry, I meant to say “this bad-ass *Kiwi*.” So embarrassed…
I completely agree with Linda Hamilton. If we’re talking about a female Expendables, we’re not just talking about women who can pull an action movie role. We’re talking about film history and legacy. As said, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Yeoh, and Jamie Lee Curtis perfect for something like this. Helen Mirren in a supporting/ mentoring role would work perfectly, as would Gina Carano as the physically toughest of the group. I don’t know what Pam Grier’s status is right now, but if she can’t be the “Stallone” of the group, hiring Angela Bassett, who has pulled off action in the past would work. Cameron Diaz works if we’re looking at a spoof. Angelina Jolie does great action work, but her price tag may limit who else can be hired. In a perfect world, she’s in. I’d rather see actresses 35 and older for the most part. “Older” actresses should not be forgotten. That said, if Brigitte Nielsen isn’t the villain, I can’t see who is.
I love your list but I would add Sarah Michelle Gellar and Eliza Dushku
Wasn’t the original “Expendables” concept about a bunch of past-their-prime action-flick actors having one last ‘hurrah’? It makes sense, then, that a female version would also be older (but not OLD) women? I’d say too many mentioned are too young(!). Also: I think a cameo by Carrie Fischer (does the Blues Brothers count as an action flick?) would be most suitable.
Cameron Diaz, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carrano, don’t count as action stars. Just like what’s-his-name who’s an MMA fighter, isn’t an action star – let alone an actor.
Also, Cynthia Rothrock, though she could make a cameo in the first film like Schwarzenegger did, should lead an entire team herself. She’s the only true action star mentioned (along with Michelle Yeo)
Personally, I’d go with the following order:
Cynthia Rothrock
Michelle Yeo
Lucy Lawless
Summer Glau (being a ballet dancer and proven her chops in Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles, should definitely be in the film)
Sigourney Weaver
Linda Hamilton
Helen Mirren (who could portray an amazing bad guy).
The rest of the ones mentioned in your article should be the ones making cameos.
p.s. Oh also Pam Grier could be the other bad guy along side Helen Mirren
Two words: Helen Mirren
I’d love to see Patricia Tallman in this. She’s got the acting chops and her stunt work resume is extensive.
Got to include Jennifer Garner somewhere. She killed it in Alias
Definitely Sigourney Weaver, Kate Beckinsale, Uma Thurman, Michelle Yeoh, Pam Grier, Eliza Dushku, Angelina Jolie and Ziya Zang.
Don’t forget some actual female athletes such as Leila Ali or Claressa Shields. Also Aisha Tyler would be my nerd choice.
Oh, and Summer Glau. I practically named a daughter after her, so yeah. Her too.
Any or all of these lovely but lethal ladies would be great:
Zoe Saldana
Scarlett Johansson
Milla Jovovich
Rosario Dawson
Yvonne Strahovski
Summer Glau
Kate Beckinsale
Gina Carano
Jessica Alba
Angelina Jolie
Helen Mirren
Cate Blanchett
Emily Browning
Chloe Grace Moretz
Natilie Portman
Sigourney Weaver
Linda Hamilton
Uma Thurman
Cytha Rothrock
Lucy Liu
But whoever they have…I just hope they have a good script and director.
I agree with many of the ladies already named above. A couple I haven’t seen anyone mention yet: Gina Torres and Linda Carter.
I’d like to second the Gina Torres, Linda Carter, and Scarlett Johansson nominations. How about Colbie Smulders, too? I think she’s proven that she can be a kick-ass female action hero.
One name not on anyone’s list yet – Carrie Anne Moss! ^_^
I’m sorry to say that Carrie Fischer is old and fat, not to be too unkind about it. Her most recent gig was doing Jenny Craig commercials about “getting back to who she really is” without the (ample) extra weight. Those commercials quietly faded away without any further fanfare so I have to assume that Carrie failed to follow through.
Yes, I know, it sounds cruel to be so blunt about it, but sometimes facts are just facts. :-/
I see that all of the usual suspects are already covered. If I was to toss in a few to be cameos/honorable mentions, I’d nominate:
Kathleen Turner
Gina Davis (While i know one movie doesn’t make an action star, The Long Kiss Goodnight, people; see it!)
And can it really be that nobody has mentioned Jennifer Garner?
On a different topic – Katrina! Where are the “Like+1” and “G+1” buttons? This is 2012 and while I might have said differently a year ago, today I’d say that you need them!
I dunno, part of me is a little offended that they have to create an all-girl version. How about a mix? Oh but wait, then they’d have Michelle Yeoh hooking up with Stallone or somebody…. nevermind.
Love that you have Rockrock on there. She can definitely hold her own. And I second Joe Klemmer, Pat Tallman is both a stunt woman and an actress. She may not be as famous as ANgelina Jolie, but I bet she could kick more butt.
There’s already one in development – and partially cast: http://www.soldiergirlsmovie.com
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I think that Tia Carrere can not miss playing the villain
How about none and laugh my ass off? This gender bending stuff has gotten so absurd. Hell, most of the guy action movies are actually ridiculous as well.
Well I want to try and pick a list that most people would agree with.
1st of course rounda rousey cause she’s in 3 so it makes since to put her in the all females version. Also the asain girl from the 2nd expendables. Next, I would love chole grace mortz to get in on this with some hit girl type character without the hit girl persona of course. Michelle Rodriguez I think would fit into this movie. Scarlett johannson seems like she may be able to fit in thus movie but I guess I say that cause of her role in avengers capt.america and ironman 2 proves she can do action movies which I wasn’t sure at first till she was in Iron Man 2. If anything I pick her cause well she so freaking beautiful, it’s scarlett johannson. Idk if others would agree but I know lucy lawless can fit well in this movie I mean she is zena warrior princess. Maybe Gina carano but if it’s between her and picking rousey it’s gotta be rousey. I think picking a female that people have known that she is legitimately tough should be in this movie but who? I guess rounda already fits that position. Anyway, I think uma thurman could be good in this movie. I don’t think others would agree and I’m not sure if it works but Jennifer Lawrence probably could be in this movie.maybe she can show a different side of her acting skills and surprise in a good way cause she is Jennifer Lawrence. I can’t think of others right now but I hope some of this picks actually get roles in the movie. I hope manly unattractive looking females don’t be picked cause well as a guy I wouldn’t want to see unfeminine women in this unless they are really freaking attractive cause what’s the point for a guy to watch a bunch of ugly chick’s blowing up and shooting stuff when we can just watch the original version lol. Peace out to all