Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, and Nicolas Cage approached for The Expendables 3, says producer

I don’t know if I should scoff at this news or if I should be elated, but it’s coming out as a mixture of both.  According to THE EXPENDABLES 2 producer, Avi Lerner, they have approached a rather ambitious line-up for a third Expendables film, including a living movie legend and a seasoned A-list vet. 

Here’s Avi:

“We’ve approached Clint Eastwood to be one of the guys, we’ve got a character in mind for him. We’re talking to Harrison Ford. [And we want] Wesley Snipes when he comes back from prison. I’ll give you one more name, we’ve got Nicolas Cage to play [one of the characters].”

“And we’re going to bring Mickey Rourke back, if he won’t be too crazy. I like Mickey. And of course, all the existing stars [will return]”

Apparently, they’ve already got a name picked out for Cage, which sounded like something along the lines of Hunter Grimlenson/Hunter Gatherer, or some such shit.  The fact that they have a role for Eastwood to fill is even more interesting as it shows that these guys are already putting the shell of a story together for a third film.  That’s some pretty hefty confidence if you ask me, seeing as it’s unclear just how well the sequel to the series will do. 

The list is a tall order indeed and I don’t foresee them nabbing Eastwood or Ford.  Snipes and Cage are shoe-ins, however, and would be stupid not to take a role.  Cage will do anything these days, as he seems to pop up in some obscure shit I’ve never heard of every other week.

Check out our exclusive promo poster for THE EXPENDABLES 3 below!

Speaking to Bleeding Cool, Stallone had this to say about a third entry, even throwing in Olympic gold medalists like boxer Katie Taylor as potential cast members:

“We are thinking about different concepts because the third one is the hardest by far. The second is the natural progression. That is when the air gets rare.

We are thinking pretty ambitiously about it. She [Katie Taylor] would fit right in there. We are looking at odd choices because you now have to give the audiences something they don’t expect at all. Maybe even going for a different sort of genre if you can read between the lines. Get out there a little bit.”

Looking to Schwarzenegger, Stallone added, “Maybe ripoff one of your other films.”

My ticket is already sold for this Friday and I’m hoping for nothing more than a good time.  Save the high art for Oscar season, I just want to see some old school throw downs, blow ups, and shoot outs. 

THE EXPENDABLES 2 opens this Friday, August 17, 2012.