50 Cent Cast In 'The Expendables 4' After Exiting 1st Film With Dr. Dre & Eminem Plans
50 Cent is set to star in The Expendables 4 alongside an all-star cast, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Once again following a group of veteran mercenaries, the film will find Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture reprising their roles from the previous three outings, with 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa and Scott Waugh among those joining the lineup.
Following the announcement, 50 Cent took to Instagram to inform his 26.8 million followers about the casting.
“Expendables. BOOM. time to work,” he wrote. “here we go ! still think i’m nothing. Green Light Gang.”
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50 Cent was actually on board to appear in the first Expendables movie in 2010 after replacing Forest Whitaker, but ended up exiting production due to commitments to Dr. Dre and Eminem for his album.
“50 Cent was offered the role of Hale Caesar in The Expendables,” a rep told MTV News at the time. “However, as he is currently in the process of completing his forthcoming album Before I Self Destruct with Dr. Dre and Eminem, he was unfortunately not able to commit to the project.”
Before I Self Destruct was released in November 2009, with Dre and Em both serving as executive producers.
When there was criticism about 50 Cent’s original casting, Sylvester Stallone — who directed the first film — had the rapper-turned-actor’s back and assured he was talented enough to fulfil the role.
“The anger of the casting of 50 Cent is understandable, but not fair,” Stallone expressed to Ain’t It Cool News in 2009. “A player is only as good as his coach. If a man can communicate in one medium, he can communicate in another if his strengths are brought out and he has the support of well-wishers. So, trust me, the change of Forest Whitaker to 50 Cent a.k.a. Curtis Jackson is a good one.”