american ensemble action film directed written based story returned score film sequel action film stars van story follows mercenary group known undertake seemingly simple mission quest revenge rival mercenary murdered threatens world deadly weapon second installment film series principal photography took place weeks beginning september estimated million budget film locations included bulgaria hong_kong new_orleans controversy arose accidental death environmental damage caused filming bulgaria film released europe august north_america following day grossed million worldwide greatest success outside north_america critics generally considered film improvement predecessor citing increased use humor action scenes plot dialogue received negative reviews tie downloadable video game released july prequel events film sequel released august plot leader knife specialist hand hand combat specialist heavy weapons specialist expert unstable sniper team newest recruit ross protégé deployed rescue hostage rescue captured mercenary trench ross rival yang leaves group escort china returning new_orleans billy tells ross intends retire end month live girlfriend later ross forced accept mission cia operative church retrieve item downed airplane albania church sends technical expert team albania retrieve item ambushed international criminal arms dealer right hand man mercenary group captured billy demands item exchange billy life team gives item kicks knife billy heart flees helicopter ross recovers note billy body team fallen swearing vengeance tells item computer location tons refined abandoned soviet_union cold war intends retrieve sell able weakly track computer signal follow leads bulgaria stay overnight abandoned russian military base morning team ambushed tank run ammunition saved ross old friend booker quickly tank departs booker informs group nearby village residents oppose dig begin collecting village find armed female villagers guarding children forces local inhabitants taken work slaves returning women ask help arrive villagers ambushed killed locating team assaults area plane deliberately crashing team saves enslaved miners execution escape remotely explosive charges collapses trapping miners church trench arrive freeing miners team join pursue group men airport prepares leave plane joined booker trench church engage battle christmas ross fight hand hand ross defeats stabbing billy aftermath ross given old church church booker trench leave team france discovers box large sum money billy letter depart plane propose final billy cast leader insisted performing stunts ignoring doctor advice repair broken neck injury received filming lee christmas team knife expert described character kind hero guy want beer hand hand combat expert schedule conflicts meant participate film opening volatile member team years combat stress alcohol abuse personal history including chemical engineering degree incorporated character story hesitant participate film based script draft additional content character changed mind booker retired military operative mission save old teammates character homage action film good guys wear black plays film booker claims cobra states cobra later died result reference facts satirical actor barrel weapons specialist toll road team expert described character holds dysfunctional guys military sniper service afghanistan confirmed role september cast similar role different character role written script remained contact offering role sequel production began described character generation cynical team members leader opposing team mercenaries known intentionally distant cast crew filming stay character commenting role said big showdown anticipated long time good van offered role ultimately turned church secretive cia agent late august expressed interest having return sequel expanding brief cameo original potential super villain confirmed substantial role september saying hopefully start shooting young survive trench ross arch rival occasional ally intended return sequel release works love involvement confirmed september substantial role expanding cameo appearance original film filmed scenes days right hand man offered role original film turned undisputed iii redemption cia agent working church teams retrieve lost safe cast rounded reprising role christmas girlfriend swedish actress opposition leader enslaved village billy girlfriend bulgarian mixed martial artist cameo tennis pro filmed cameo invited participate producer scenes cut film stages development actors pursued film october said reprise role villain november reported consideration role cia agent hunting church august variety reported actor martial artist offered role film declined role find intriguing september confirmed talks scheduling obstacle involvement july stated reprising role tool late september reported dropped film october confirmed reportedly offered role unable participate commitments said offered role forced turn scheduling conflicts approach casting said looking actors experienced recent success film like people moment maybe fallen hard times shot looking actors like like kinds guys like production development plans sequel place film release august said idea ready going try radical interview august noted new script plotted mind eye april confirmed repeating directing duties making list directors serve replacement april film given scheduled release date august teaser poster film released cannes film festival june confirmed director august reported image millennium films negotiations unnamed chinese distributor distributor produce film exchange chinese actor cast filming china partnership considered chinese release film easier granted larger share chinese revenue partnership fell apart production began chinese studio invested film purchased united_kingdom distribution rights film million january stated film aimed audience unlike film restricted viewers age sequel available viewers years age younger children parental consent reported change received negative reception speaking ain cool news change said rumor true readers pass judgement trust film large way delivers level reported change requested film appreciate swearing script plans family friendly rating succeed finished film rated adult oriented rating confirmed shortly release west stated shooting style dialogue day rated visual effects supervisor said shot film bullet wounds dust hits decided film rated blood severed limbs digitally added post production redesigned final fight approval unhappy scripted fight character running away brief confrontation pair felt audience wanted longer fight scene actors filming budget million principal photography began september lasted weeks filming took place largely bulgaria film studio city town film larger set pieces took place bulgaria second largest airport including explosions car chases terminal october second unit stunt team filming reservoir miles killed critically injured staged explosion rubber boat sun underwent hour operation left stable condition filming took place cave cave shoot spent rebuilding metres bridge cave concrete bridge columns remained original structure film studios announced bridge remain filming gift bulgaria filming locations included hong_kong new_orleans filming completed december february reported post production visual effects contains approximately digital effect shots main effects studio produced shots shots discarded response changes film story studios including produced effects shots film digital effect pre production began july completed year later primary facility situated allowing constant access production model assets sets practical versions built enabled raise issues relating designs early develop construction plan considered potentially need computer generated double photographed digitally modeled scheduled appear film later served useful film story adjusted requiring rebuild entire scenes sets rendered digitally sets form digital largest digital environment cave digitally recreated environmental concerns filming explosions real cave photographs taken different times day cave accurately illuminated rendered moss cave interior containing concealed nuclear vault subjected changes months effects delivery date based editorial input including modifications scale cave digitally built alongside practical version digital versions versatility saw largely replace practical counterpart scene featuring prisoners trapped cave shot entirely key cave background inserted later entire opening sequence film shot bulgaria winter meant place tropical digital effects remove snow deciduous trees present replace tropical flora alterations required shots scene complicated scheduling conflict meant interior sets shipped hong_kong shot exterior sets digitally built merged footage shot key fish tank opening filled digital based south asian river increased size times real fish died sank finale airport complex digital environment shot entirely differently locations seasons merged create seamless location trucks break glass exit airport scene entirely digital filmed screens middle numerous digital paintings modify winter bulgarian terrain different scenes represent intended location vehicles received digital scene crash amphibious plane cave effects team intended use miniature effects filming scale model feet wing span plane production constraints limited shooting schedule meant miniature shoot abandoned entire sequence rendered digitally plane digitally modified adding nose mounted gun practice stalled engine rear hatch door required jet drive plane crafts design door impractical visual obscure fact door fit existing plane design helicopter opening sequence required perform dynamic moves digitally removed entirely replaced digital recreation better fit scene requirements helicopter fight christmas digitally added later enhanced modifying lighting helicopter body shook struck fight helicopter civilian variant digitally replaced variant hip look fitting van villainous mercenary black reflective coating armaments tank assault devastated set resulting wave fired single shot replaced shots digital version performed shooting controversy november production received fine bulgarian environmental protection agency removing shrubs small trees entrance permits obtained allowing sets built area including bridge cave complained filming damage cave home endangered species avoid problems producers agreed film explosions car chases fires near cave later month bulgarian stated bat population cave reduced blamed production reduction january overturned ruling equivalent prevent investigation stated excessive number dead bats found cave filming including endangered species involved contacting information dead bats conducted probe stating bat kill normal parameters stated failed investigate violations crew february bulgarian court ruled crew violated filming license july family killed filming filed death suit producers film image stunt coordinator suit alleged conditions stunt unsafe credits contain dedication memory release film premiered august madrid spain followed paris august london august hollywood august film released august north american release following day box office earned north_america markets worldwide total 25th highest grossing film week release north american pre release tracking estimated film gross million making number film opening weekend tracking showed north american audiences reluctant visit cinemas following mass colorado cinema late july affect ticket sales earned million opening day opening weekend film earned million theaters average theater finishing weekend number film gross lower million opening largest demographic opening weekend male age second weekend movie held number spot million weekend analysis showed film gross fallen original time release million outside north_america film grossed million opening weekend august markets including italy million mexico russia million united_kingdom million following weekend august expanded total markets including france million spain million india million grossed approximately million remain number film film successful september opening weekends germany million brazil million australia million september weekend film total gross increased million original film million film successful china grossed approximately million days making eighth highest grossing film country dark knight rises million amazing spider man million critical reception film garnered approval rating critics average rating review aggregate website rotten_tomatoes gave following consensus violent suitably self gives classic action fans reasonably expect star better worse metacritic gave score critics indicating mixed average reviews polls reported gave film average grade scale compared compared film fast sequel lowest common best possible way characters unique use references actors films action scenes said glorious nonsense guns bullet barrage hollywood reporter called film humorous packaged considered brief role memorable dialogue noting stole scene present west direction cinematographer said action choreography variety appreciated self humor actor film history violent action scenes felt scenes undermined poor editing visual scheme film commented thrill seeing actors screen plot issues entertainment_weekly said west action direction improved previous film direction considered film excellent fine exercise movie nostalgia commenting consider film artistic found enjoyable usa today considered shift tone original emphasis humor entertaining said film visually humor self charm male pattern crowd pleasing fun judged film dumb fun watch right mindset considered dialog embarrassing intended seriously plot formulaic rolling_stone gave film stars saying film big dumb fun criticizing script death daily_telegraph gave film stars appreciated use stunts special effects effects stating gives proceedings flame authenticity added thoroughly appalled mainly enjoying empire critical labeling huge disappointment criticized plot judged references set pieces dialogue cast filmography creating memorable moments praised action high points village_voice found violence creative said film negatively impacted self referencing line outright cash referring cameo appearances actors home media released dvd blu ray disc digital download november blu ray disc edition contains theatrical cut dvd digital copy film supplemental material including director commentary deleted scenes gag reel film gods war assembling earth bigger heroes 1980s rise action film assault real life weaponry guns hire real blu ray disc version film release support channel sound format video games downloadable player cooperative shoot video game published released july august steam game plot prequel appearing playable characters crews voiced respective characters according review metacritic gamerankings game received generally negative reviews single player tower defense real time strategy online game published game released july plot derived village scenes film players choose squad cast set defences battle enemy music composed score scored original film score combined percussion electronic elements orchestral music released track album original motion picture soundtrack itunes august popular songs appear film including crystal blue beautiful morning young rip want celebrate don want fight younger brother empire awarded soundtrack score said tyler action fare judged mixing real thrills dramatic weight resulting score nostalgic cliché singled pieces party track find kill praise track listing music composed sequel sequel titled began filming august film sees return cast members addition new ones including released theatrically united_states august
The Expendables 2