Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Expendables 4!
Summary
- Arnold Schwarzenegger's absence from The Expendables 4 is not surprising, as he was unhappy with his role in the previous film and expressed his reluctance to return unless the script was good.
- Schwarzenegger turned down an offer to return for The Expendables 4 due to the increasing workload and the fact that he only did the first film as a favor to Sylvester Stallone.
- The absence of Schwarzenegger's character, Trench, in The Expendables 4 seems ridiculous, especially considering his close friendship with Stallone's character, Barney, and the fact that he does not attend Barney's funeral.
The team might reassemble for The Expendables 4, but Arnold Schwarzenegger's Trench isn't among them. Sylvester Stallone and Schwarzenegger had one of Hollywood's biggest rivalries throughout the '80s and '90s, but 2010's The Expendables finally paired them together for a brief sequence. Arnie plays Trench in The Expendables movies, a former comrade turned friendly rival to Stallone's Barney. His role in the franchise grew with each installment, as Schwarzenegger received more screen time with each sequel appearance. This set the stage for him to play a large role in The Expendables 4, but he does not appear.
Arnold Schwarzenegger not returning for The Expendables 4 is not an outlier, as the movie itself represents a changing of the guard. Stallone takes on a much smaller role in the lead-up to The Expendables 4's ending, letting Jason Statham's Lee Christmas and some new additions take the lead. That will not stop audiences from wanting and hoping for an Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo. The unfortunate news is that Trench is not in The Expendables 4 in any capacity, and there are a few reasons why this is the case, even if the movie's events make the lack of Arnie worse.
Related: Does The Expendables 4 Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Unhappy After Expendables 3
Schwarzenegger has had reasons to not be part of The Expendables 4's cast going all the way back to comments he made about the third movie. In 2017, Stallone briefly walked away from The Expendables 4, with Arnie proclaiming he also wouldn't return to the series without his friend, telling EW that “There is no Expendables without Sly." Schwarzenegger also stated that while he felt "the first and second ones were terrific," he didn't like the Trench role in The Expendables 3. In the third entry, Trench helps Stallone's Barney on his revenge mission by providing transport and later on in the story, firepower.
His role was a little bigger than the previous Expendables movies, though his screen time indicates he probably filmed his role in a few days. Arnie felt Trench was "not playing well" during the story and that he "didn’t believe that I had any value in the movie." While he didn't rule out an Expendables return, he did state "I think if they write a really good script [in] which my part is very well-developed, I would do it. If not, then I won’t do it."
Arnold Schwarzenegger Turned Down An Expendables 4 Return
In addition to growing unhappy with his role in the franchise, Arnold Schwarzenegger seemingly turned down a return in The Expendables 4. He told Parade in the months leading up to the movie's release that he told Stallone "You know what, we have done this and I’m out of it" in regard to continuing to play Trench after the third installment. His reasoning for not wanting to come back is tied to the growing workload that the franchise asked of him. He stated that he only did the first Expendables as "a favor to Sly" and shot his scene in one day. With the sequels adding him in even more, Arnie wanted to avoid the same happening in Expendables 4.
Related: 9 Franchise Characters Missing From Expendables 4
Expendables 4 Makes Arnold Schwarzenegger's Absence Ridiculous
Unfortunately, The Expendables 4 makes Arnold Schwarzenegger not returning a bit ridiculous. This is all thanks to Barney Ross' plan to fake his death, which no one else seemed to be aware of. The result is the main members of The Expendables 4's cast assembling for a memorial service to honor their fallen friend and leader. Not only is Trench not mentioned at all during the memorial scenes, but the fact that he does not attend Barney's memorial doesn't make sense. Trench and Barney are close friends in this franchise, so Arnie's character should have been present for Barney's funeral, even if he isn't involved in the rest of The Expendables 4.
- Movies
- The Expendables 4 (2023)
- The Expendables - Franchise
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