Eclectic Pictures and Hollywood Ventures Group are working on a female-led spin-off of The Expendables titled Expendabelles. Since the original film’s success in 2010, several filmmakers have attempted to create a women-focused version of the action series.
Back in 2014, Robert Luketic was attached to direct an earlier version of Expendabelles, written by Legally Blonde writers Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah, for Millennium Films. Although the film was announced years ago, it never entered production. Millennium’s Jeffrey Greenstein later said the studio had trouble finding the right approach for a female action team.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Expendabelles will serve as an origin story set in the late 1990s during the height of Y2K-era tension and geopolitical uncertainty.”
The newly reimagined project — originally conceived more than a decade ago alongside Millennium Films by Heidi Jo Markel, Patrick Muldoon, and Julie Kroll — aims to introduce a new generation of elite female operatives in “a stylized, action-driven cinematic event designed to expand the mythology of the franchise while standing firmly on its own,” the filmmakers confirmed.
They also confirmed that the project is moving forward “with the support of Lionsgate,” which acquired the rights to The Expendables franchise late last year.
Expendabelles will be produced by Eclectic’s Markel and Hollywood Ventures Group co-founder Glenn Gainor. Executive producers on the project include Sandy Climan, Joe Smith, Nelly Kim, Julie Kroll, Stephen R. Foreht, and John Yarincik.
In a statement, Markel said, “We are thrilled to finally bring Expendabelles to life alongside our incredible partners at Hollywood Ventures Group, who share our passion for reimagining this property on a much larger cinematic scale.”
Markel added, “There has always been a strong global appetite for female-driven action franchises, and we believe the time is now to introduce a bold new generation of elite operatives into this universe. What excites us most is the opportunity to elevate the material by pairing it with top-tier creative talent and delivering a fresh, stylish, adrenaline-fueled experience for worldwide audiences.”
Eclectic Pictures and Hollywood Ventures Group are currently putting the project together and are actively looking for directors, writers, and cast members for the spin-off film.
