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Sylvester Stallone has quit The Expendables franchise which he first spearheaded in 2010.
Reports say the actor has turned down what would have been ‘the biggest upfront payday’ of his career due to creative differences with American film company Nu Image.
According to Independent UK, Stallone – who plays mercenary leader Barney Ross in the series – is said to have been concerned about the quality of the confirmed fourth instalment.
A report by Deadline has it that Nu Image co-founder Avi Lerner believed he could sort out his differences with Sly.
His words: “We’ve got disagreements with Sly, but we’ve had them for over a year and a half. Right now, each one has an opinion. We agreed on 95% of things, but there are certain things in production we don’t agree on. I don’t think it’s over, but write whatever you want.
“In my opinion, it’s not dead.”
The Expendables may move ahead without Stallone. The series, which is about a team of mercenaries, has lured action film fans with the stunt casting of an assortment of action film stars. The third entry into the franchise starred Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Randy Couture, Terry Crews alongside new cast additions Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes and Ronda Rousey.