By Sarah Bull
Stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger gather for premiere
Local residents protest against Governor of Califonia Schwarzenegger's role
Brazilian production company says Stallone owes them nearly $2.2 million for movie
It is one of the most highly-anticipated films of all time, featuring some of the world's most famous action stars.
So it was no surprise to see the testosterone-fuelled red carpet as veteran movie stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mickey Rourke and Dolph Lundgren gathered for the premiere of The Expendables in Los Angeles last night.
The actors donned sharp suits and ties for the premiere of the film, which tells the story of a 'team of mercenaries head to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator.'
With violent fight scenes, explosions and more weapons than can be imagined, The Expendables is sure to be a hit among both fans of the genre and those looking for an action-packed cinema experience.
And while some of the film's stars aren't as young as they used to be, Stallone, 64, said it was important to him to still be able to appear in a movie of this genre.
He said: 'Usually at my age, you’re out there fly fishing somewhere in Ireland. For me to keep on doing this and prove it can be done.
'I’m trying to get the younger guys to step up and try and get these kind of films made, because I know they watch them.'
Stallone plays Barney 'The Schizo' Ross in The Expendables, the leader of the group who is void of emotion but full of cynicism, who leads his men in a mission to overthrow General Gaza, played by David Zayas.
Despite featuring some of the most famous action movie stars of all time, Stallone, who also directed the film, said everybody involved in the making of the film started to get nervous when they started shooting.
He told the New York Post: 'The thing is, that once we got on the set, everyone got nerves.
'We probably have 150 movies between us, but we were sitting there like amateurs. "Oh, my God. I don't want to be the one that drops the ball." All this stuff is going through people's minds.
'Finally, I said, "Here's the deal. You be Bruce, you be Arnold, you be Sly. Let's just be who we are." What you see there is everyone's real personalities coming to the surface, and I think that's why it works.'
Dolph Lundgren, who plays combat veteran Gunnar Jensen in the film, also said it was daunting starring alongside what reads as a who's who of action stars.
He said: 'In everybody's mind, there is a little competition when you hear who's signed on. You want to be as great as the other guy, but you don't want to affect the film itself.'
Lundgren, who first shot to fame when he beat 5,000 men to be cast alongside Stallone in Rocky IV in 1985, added: 'My character is funny and interesting.
'It was just a typical Sly Stallone script, which means humour, action and a lot of people getting shot.'
The film also stars Jason Statham as former SAS soldier Lee Christmas, Jet Li as close-quarter combat master Yin Yang and football star Terry Crews as long-barrel weapons specialist Hale Caesar.
In addition, Mickey Rouke appears as arms dealer and tattoo parlour owner Tool, while wrestler Randy Couture plays demolitions expert Toll Road and Bruce Willis stars as Mr. Church, the man who hires the expendables.
And while the group believe they have been hired to complete an essentially simple mission by overthrowing General Gaza, they run into trouble when they meet their contact Sandra in Vilena.
It's only when they start talking to freedom fighter Sandra that they realise their most dangerous enemies are rogue former CIA agent James Monroe, played by Eric Roberts, and his bodyguard, the appropriately named Paine, played by wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin.
In fact, it was during a fight scene between his character Barney and Austin's Paine that Stallone ended up with his most serious injury - breaking his neck.
Speaking about the injury which saw him have emergency surgery and a metal plate inserted into his neck, Stallone said: 'It was a fight scene with Steve Austin. I told him to crack me as hard as he can. It snapped my head back and cracked my neck.
'They had to put some cadaver bones, which means I have ghosts in my neck.
'That plate goes off every time I go through airport security. I say I can take the belt buckle off, but not the screw.'
However, while fans worldwide are thrilled about the upcoming film, the movie has not been without controversy - mainly due to Governor of California Schwarzenegger's cameo role in the film, which was seen as a conflict of interest by many local residents.
But explaining his decision, Schwarzenegger said: 'Sly and I became very good friends over the last 10 or 15 years. We've had a terrific time and so he was very helpful to me when I ran for Governor.
'He came to fundraising in different places and he was always there to pump up the people and all that. So naturally when he asked me if I would do a cameo, it will be something very simple, I promised him I'd do that.'
But his explanation didn't stop protesters gathering outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre with signs and placards for the premiere.
Other controversy has come as a movie production company in Brazil says Stallone owes them nearly $2.2 million for its work on The Expendables.
In a statement, O2 does not specify what work it did but says it was not a co-producer on the project.
However, Stallone's publicist Michelle Bega told The Associated Press on Monday that she would not comment on the case.
Regardless of any arguments surrounding the film, Stallone looked happy and excited as he attended the premiere with wife Jennifer Flavin and their three children, Sophia, 13, Sistine, 12, and eight-year-old Scarlet.
And he wasn't the only one to have turned the event into a family night out, as Willis was accompanied by model wife Emma Heming and eldest daughter Rumer.
Meanwhile, it was revealed today that Stallone once auditioned for the role of Hans Solo in Star Wars, but his audition didn't go down too well with director George Lucas.
He said: 'Yes, as a matter of fact I did and it didn't meet with much approval. When I stood in front of George Lucas he didn't look at me once, obviously being very shy.
SYLVESTER STALLONE, 64
Most famous for: Playing Rocky Balboa and RamboRole in The Expendables: Barney 'The Schizo' Ross, leader of the team
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, 63
Most famous for: Being The Terminator, and Governor of CaliforniaMost famous line: I'll be back
Role in The Expendables: Trench, leader of the original expendables team
BRUCE WILLIS, 55
Most famous for: Starring as John McClane in Die HardMost famous line: Yippie Ki-Yay motherf**ker
Role in The Expendables: Mr. Church, the man who hires the expendables
MICKEY ROURKE, 57
Most famous for: Starring in The Wrestler, Iron Man 2Highest grossing movie: Iron Man 2, $615,682,917
Most famous line: The only place I get hurt is out there
Role in The Expendables: Tool, an arms dealer and tattoo parlour owner
JET LI, 47
Most famous for: Being one of China's most famous starsMost famous line: I will be The One
Role in The Expendables: Yin Yang, a Chinese martial arts expert
DOLPH LUNDGREN, 52
Most famous for: Fighting Stallone in Rocky IV in 1985Most famous line: He's not human. He's like a piece of iron.
Role in The Expendables: Gunnar Jensen, a Swedish sniper
'Then I said, "Well obviously I'm not the right type". But it all worked out for the best since I don't look good in Spandex holding a ray gun.'
The role of Solo was eventually taken by Harrison Ford, who appeared in the original Star Wars trilogy.
Despite not being cast in Star Wars, Stallone's role as Rocky quickly put him on the map and he went on to star in many other action films including the classic Rambo franchise.
Asked recently if he would consider making a Rambo prequel to the four films he starred in, Stallone said: 'I certainly think this is worth pondering because it's intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how people have come to become what they are.
'That trauma, the loss, and the tragedy of being in Vietnam would certainly be a great challenge for a young actor, and it would be ironic that Rambo directs younger Rambo after having played it for 20 plus years.'
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