Casting for The Expendables 2 has mostly been fueled by a game of Internet one-upmanship to see who can name the most forgotten ’80s and ’90s action stars—in other words, rampant speculation that’s not really good for anything besides Jeff Speakman’s Google Alerts. Still, a lot of that can be blamed on Sylvester Stallone, who continues to draft his fantasy ass-kicker league out loud in interviews despite nothing being set in stone, thus fueling stories such as this one by saying things like, “We’ve got Chuck Norris and I think Nic Cage” to Entertainment Weekly. Of course, Norris’ name is nothing new, but this is the first official hint that Cage is on board—a prospect that suggests the film could once more see Nicolas Cage and John Travolta once more trying to kill each other, a reunion that’s been long in the making.
Still, that may have to wait, as Stallone, echoing the many stories that have been written about this movie already, doesn’t sound entirely sure about either actor’s participation. “The one thing I’ve learned is what is a fact on Monday is a complete fallacy on Tuesday,” he says (leaving us to finish the thought that it then becomes an entry in Ted Casablanca's The Awful Truth on Wednesday). Stallone adds, “A lot of it is scheduling. It’s not financial. It’s just that Bulgaria is definitely a jaunt. It’s a commitment, you know what I mean? Especially in the dead of winter.” Fortunately for those hoping to see Cage, at least, the actor definitely has no problem fighting people in Southeastern Europe. He also likes money.