10 Directors For Expendables 4
4) Gareth Evans
Previous Experience: The Raid, The Raid 2, Merantau.
There had to be at least one youngblood on this list. It’s a long shot, but methinks Evans would be a top-notch choice, as long as he was given the creative control necessary to make an awesome flick.
The Expendables movies have always featured decent but unmemorable fight scenes, marred by their American sensibilities. Imagine if Evans brought some of his Raid cast on-board, and staged some insanely awesome close-combat battles in between awesome shootouts. It’d be amazing!
Evans is gonna be busy for the next few years, but who knows what can happen.
3) Shane Black
Previous Experience: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3.
Yes, Shane Black has only directed two movies, but he has been an action guy since the 1980s. Here is a man who starred in the original Predator, wrote classic movies like The Last Boy Scout, Lethal Weapon and The Long Kiss Goodnight, and knows how to deliver pure unadulterated FUN.
Black would be able to give the Expendables franchise something it hasn’t had up until now: genuine style. Black showed with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang that he has a knack for stylish, slick visuals and knows how to pace a movie. Moreover, if Black is given control over the script, the one-liners and bantering would be amazing. I’ve had a few laughs over the course of the series, but sometimes it seems the writing is just trying too hard to be funny. Black’s writing doesn’t do that. He showed with Iron Man 3 he can do big action and have genuine stakes while having fun along the way.
Added to this, Black could shake up the formula a bit. I don’t mean he should imprint the series with voiceover narration or anything, but he can play around with the characters a bit more, and maybe devise a more interesting story. EX4 would be in fine hands with Black on-board as writer/director.
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