Expendables 4 was released in China on September 15, prior to its U.S. release on September 22.

Stylized as Expend4bles, the movie has received a positive reception, increasing the anticipation among the U.S. audience. The fourth installment in The Expendables franchise comes after significant uncertainties about its production. The movie almost never happened due to the lackluster performance of its predecessor.

Sylvester Stallone in Expendables 4
In the movies, the Expendables are a group of mercenaries led by Barney Ross, played by Sylvester Stallone. The new film also sees Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren reprising their roles, alongside 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais.

Also Read: “The movie industry right off the bat is geared for white actors”: Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables 4 Co-Star Was One Of The First Mainstream African-American Stars To Stand Up To Hollywood Racism

Expendables 4 Beat Another Big Franchise In Its Chinese Release

A Haunting in Venice, the third installment in the Hercule Poirot series
According to consultancy firm Artisan Gateway (via Variety), Expendables 4 debuted with $10.9 million on its opening weekend at the Chinese box office. The film has outperformed its American competitor, Oppenheimer, which placed third during this weekend and has collected an overall $54.3 million. Expendables 4 has also surpassed another franchise which was also released this weekend in both China and the U.S.

A Haunting in Venice serves as the third installment in the Hercule Poirot series, based on Agatha Christie’s novels. Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in the titular role in the franchise that has so far grossed $519 million at the box office. The detective series received a warm welcome in the U.S. box office and is regarded as a box office success. However, the film failed to rank in the top 5 at the Chinese box office during the weekend.

Kenneth Branagh is a prominent name, having directed the MCU film, Thor, and appeared in the Harry Potter series. Despite collecting $37 million worldwide so far, reports suggest that the film only grossed $2.6 million in China. This difference serves as a positive update for the Sylvester Stallone movie, as China’s box office has a major impact on globally released movies.

Also Read: Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables 4 Has a Major Jackie Chan Connection Despite Martial Arts Legend Declining $789M Franchise Role: “Definitely a lot of that Asian martial arts influence”

What Can Fans Expect From Expendables 4?

Expendables 4
In Expendables 4, the mercenary group will fight a new terrorist organization led by Suarto Rahmat, who is trying to instigate a war between the U.S. and Russia by smuggling nuclear warheads. Suarto Rahmat is played by the famous Indonesian actor, Iko Uwais, who is known for The Raid movies and The Night Comes for Us.

After severe criticisms directed at the PG-13 rating of The Expendables 3, the new movie has retained its R-rating from the earlier movies. This indicates that the movie is going to be brutally violent and fans eagerly wait to see Stallone as Barney Ross for one last time, as the actor has announced his departure from the role. Stallone will continue as the producer for further installments, which will see Jason Statham’s Christopher Lee taking charge of the group.

The huge timespan between the last release and Expendables 4 is likely to impact the box office performance. According to Box Office Pro, the film is expected to open with $13-$18 million at the domestic box office and finish within a range of $31-$45 million. These predictions will make Expend4bles one of the lowest-grossing films in the franchise. However, the Chinese box office performance gives hope for the movie.

Also Read: “You have to change a little because the cast is getting older”: 77 Year Old Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables 4 Put the Brunt of the Action on 3 Younger Stars and Jason Statham Wasn’t One of Them

Fans of the franchise can refresh their memories of The Expendables, by catching the first three movies streaming on Netflix.

Source: Variety