In the permanently casting The Expendables 3, the third in Sylvester Stallone’s exciting lists of people you recognize, it’s “[Bruce] WILLIS OUT…HARRISON FORD IN!!!!” So tweeted Stallone with typical blunt force in an announcement that was subsequently confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, with Willis apparently no longer a part of the production because of certain financial demands combined with scheduling conflicts. Or, as Stallone put it, “GREEDY AND LAZY…. A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE”—a harsh assessment from a man who may have milked all of his most famous creations for all they’re worth plus a spinoff about their friend’s grandson, but you certainly can’t accuse him of indifference.
Stallone has yet to turn on his caps lock and yell what part Ford will be playing. (He did add, “Been waiting years for this!!!!” presumably ever since Regarding Henry). However, it’s assumed he'd take Willis’ place as the guy who recruits the Expendables and then is a jerk about how expendable they are. In possibly related news, Ford recently told The Telegraph that he finds it “perfectly appropriate and okay” to consider returning for a fifth Indiana Jones film, even at the age of 71, so long as it’s “a great movie around him where he doesn't necessarily have to kick as much ass.” So you probably similarly look for him to not necessarily kick ass in The Expendables 3, but rather buffer any onslaught with the force of grumpily withering understatement.