“The Expendables 4” began shooting on Monday in Thessaloniki, Greece. A set has been constructed on the east side of the city where the cast and crew will be filming their scenes over the course of the next two weeks.
The city now hosts several of Hollywood’s brightest stars, with Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Megan Fox, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Tony Jaa and Andy Garcia all participating in the Thessaloniki filming. Franchise creator Sylvester Stallone will also be participating in the shoot, although this will be the last time he will work on the series.
The first movie of the franchise debuted in 2010 and the second in 2012, with the movie series making $804 million globally.
The Expendables 4 brings the franchise’s long history to Greece
Each new addition to the franchise has seen the appearance of notable actors, with stars like Dolph Lundgren, Harrison Ford, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, and more.
The third movie of the franchise, The Expendables 3, attempted to freshen up its roster, bringing in more new cast members to the film and attempting to cultivate a broader appeal for younger audiences. This strategy was unsuccessful and the franchise took a hit at the box office.
Although those involved with the film have kept quiet as to the specific plot details of the thrilling new addition to the franchise, The Hollywood Reporter has published a general outline: “The plot will once again focus on a group of veteran mercenaries. And while the initial movies from in the early 2010s had Stallone as the focal point, sources say in this outing Statham will be the one with the biggest gun. Fox is the female lead.”
Thessaloniki a center for Hollywood productions
Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, is becoming a hub for Hollywood productions. In July, Antonio Banderas and Kate Bosworth were just some of the world famous actors who filmed there for a star-studded movie — the name of which is still in the works.
Up to eighteen international movies will be shot in Greece in 2021, confirming the industry’s demand for the country’s nearly endless variety of stunning landscapes and monuments.
The director of the Hellenic Cinema Center, Venia Vergou, said recently that the expected revenues from foreign productions in 2021 could reach 90 million euros ($106 million).
She added that this foreign interest creates a “positive domino effect” that will help attract further productions.
Huge Hollywood movie productions such as “Knives Out 2,” which stars Greek-Filipino actor Dave Bautista and “James Bond” actor Daniel Craig are set to film in Greece this year.
A movie about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s life, titled “Greek Freak,” has also just wrapped filming in the center of Athens.
The biopic, which is being produced by streaming service Disney+, filmed scenes in the hot Athenian sun in order to accurately portray the city in which Antetokounmpo grew up.
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