'The Expendables 4' release date, latest news: Stallone, Statham, Schwarzenegger set to return for fourth 'Expendable' film

Sylvester Stallone's action film franchise, "The Expendables," is set to return for one more mission with its reported fourth film installment.

Although there has yet to be an official announcement about the film's existence and development, The Hollywood Reporter mentioned in a report that Splendid Film has acquired the rights across German-speaking Europe to release the upcoming "The Expendables 4." It was also mentioned that notable action stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Arnold Schwarzenegger will be reprising their roles.

According to CinemaBlend, this is the first major update concerning the film franchise's fourth installment in over a year. The last news heard about the film was that it successfully secured a financing deal back in 2015.

Aside from Stallone, Statham, and Schwarzenegger, other actors expected to return for "The Expendables 4" include Jet Li, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, and Terry Crews. All four actors appeared in all of the three previous movies. Other notable actors who have appeared in one or two films in the franchise include Bruce Willis, Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Chuck Norris, Mickey Rourke, and Harrison Ford.

According to MovieWeb, the first "Expendable" film was released in 2010, and it earned $103 million domestically and $171.4 million overseas. It earned $274.4 million worldwide against an $80 million budget. "The Expendables 2" was released in 2012, and it earned $314.9 million worldwide against a $100 million budget.

The third "Expandable" film is, so far, the least successful in the franchise financially. The film earned a franchise low of $39.3 million domestically and $175.3 million internationally, earning a worldwide total of $214.6 million. This "Expandable" installment cast Mel Gibson as the main villain and included cast additions such as Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, and Kelsey Grammer.

No news about any new character additions has been confirmed for "The Expendables 4." However, James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan has previously expressed his interest to play a role in the upcoming film.

"The Expendables 4" is expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2018.