Once upon a younger time, I honestly wanted to be Mickey Rourke (mostly because of The Pope of Greenwich Village), so I was as psyched as anyone to see him make a comeback in The Wrestler. I was notably less psyched to see that he has now signed on to do a Sylvester Stallone action movie, according to Variety. Not that I didn’t see it coming a mile off. Rourke was great in The Wrestler because he he was able to portray The Ram’s hard-partying, trailer-park brawler as a broken-down, vulnerable man. Rourke did it so well because he’s actually been there himself. The problem, of course, is he can only do that once.
For his next movie, Rourke has to take his puffy lips, crooked nose, and hulking body and find another role that suits him. Pretty-boy leading man is probably not an option, but he could’ve found another well-written and interesting movie, where he plays a villain or, yes, maybe another tough guy, but in a role that allows a bit of subtlety and nuance. And perhaps he will, one day, do just that. Unfortunately, it looks like right now he’s chosen to pay back Sly, who gifted the seemingly washed-up Rourke with a small role in his Get Carter remake, and do the Stallone vehicle The Expendibles, (also starring Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, and Dolph Lungdren with Forest Whitaker and Ben Kingsley said to be "circling the project"), which will most likely be a run-of-the-mill actioner created so that Stallone can again prove to the world that he’s still virile. (When’s the last time Stallone made a truly GOOD movie? Though I admit I would kind of dig it if Dolph utters the phrase "You vill lose" to him at some point.) This doesn’t mean Rourke won’t make his menacing character fun as hell to watch. But it’s unlikely to have us saying his name in the same sentence as Oscar, like we are this winter after The Wrestler.
Whaddya think about Rourke joining forces with Stallone, PopWatchers? Was it inevitable that he moved on to big money action flicks? What kinds of roles do you think Rourke is best suited for, now that we’ve seen he’s still got the chops in The Wrestler?
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“when was the last time Stallone made a good movie”? What- Rocky Balboa wasn’t a good movie? I thought it was as great as the first one. Don’t rip Sly just because he’s Sly- and with a cast like the one listed above in ONE MOVIE- I cannot wait until this one comes out
Lets be serious. Mickey Rourke, who I totally dig, is still the Mickey Rourke that did ‘Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man’. Lets not start treating it like its some stretch that he would do an action movie with Stallone.
Forest Whitaker and Ben Kingsley both have oscars so I don’t see why being attached to this will hurt Rourke. As long as he doesn’t sign up for Norbit II.
Mickey Rourke is suited for any damn movie he is in. Mr. Rourke “brings everything to the table” in every movie he’s in whether it be a hot, steamy love story; an action movie; a small independent movie; etc. I’m just so glad that Mr. Rourke is back and hope he picks up the Oscar for his brilliant performance in “The Wrestler.”
Even though I know probably less about “The Expedibles” than anyone at EW might, I think it’s unfair to paint it as a piece of garbage before a single frame has been shot. And, even if Rourke is at least nominated for an Oscar, who’s to say he can’t do a movie with Stallone all in the name of…fun?
Ben Kingsley has proven time and again that he will do a turd of a movie simpy for the paycheck (Love Guru, Bloodrayne, Thunderbirds, Species,et al). And don’t Forest Whitaker was in Ghost Dog (the age-old story of a homeless gangster Samurai) and Battlefield: Earth. Maybe the Expendables will be dumb ol’ fun. And if these 2 can do it, then why not Rourke? Isn’t it mandatory to follow an Oscar role with a stink bomb in the grand tradition of Catwoman (Halle Berry), Proof of Life, A Good Year (Russell Crowe), and ÆON Flux (Charlie Theron)?
The trailer for Killshot looked good. I know it has been delayed about a year, but he looks scary in it. In a good way, b/c he’s the hitman villain.
I wonder if Forrest Whitaker will turn into the next Cuba Gooding Jr. after winning the oscar. It’s like the OSCAR curse is almost impossible to avoid these days. With Whitaker taking paycheck roles like this, it worries me…
Screw you, Mike. Rocky Balboa and Rambo were great. Both way better than they had any right to be. This movie sounds awesome so suck it.
Hey Mike Bruno your a dumbass. Rocky balboa cost 25 million and ended up earning more than a 150 million at the box office. Almost every critic loved it as well as people who watched it. Are you saying that all those great actors took a look at the script thought it sucked but decided to sign on anyway. Stallone proved himself with Rocky Balboa and then again with Rambo so why don’t you get off your high horse and give Stallone the credit he’s earned. He’s created two of the most popular movie characters in history and will go down as a great movie star. Rourke is a good actor but he’s not Stallone, he should be thrilled to be asked to be in the movie.
i guess he just lost the Oscar… oh well
I am LOVING this news! The Expendables was already a movie I was highly anticipating. It just keeps getting better and better. Oh by the way, take your snooty comments and shove em! An old-fashioned actioner is just what I am wanting. And has Stallone been in a good movie lately? Uhh,have you actually seen Rambo? It friggin ruled!
Come one. It may be a fun movie but it will also certainly be a poor movie. The actors will do it for the moolah.
has stallone been in a good movie?? um have you seen Rocky Balboa?? that got great critics reviews….and RAMBO has a 7.1rating on IMDB…
so ya, stallone HAS made good movies…get off your high horse…not a single frame of this has been shot and you are calling it off….do you have something against sly??
Oh please, all you people defending Stallone’s latest films. Ok, Rocky Balboa was decent enough. I enjoyed it, but just felt it was slightly unnecessary. But no major complaints. Rambo, on the other hand, was terrible. And I love the originals. The new one was just bad, filled with a bunch of cliche one-liners. The story was stupid, and the acting wasn’t good either. Yea, some action sequences were fun to watch, but the movie as a whole was a disappointment.
you are entitled to your opinions Alex, but the vast majority disagree with you…besides, im not sure what movie you were watching if you think RAMBO is full of “one liners”
besides, lets think about it for a moment….what roles is Rourke gonna get?? the wrestler was tailor made for him…how many roles are out there for a aging grotesque, muscle boung guy??
I think that is the poster’s point, that mickey rourke took what role he could get and it wasn’t a prestige movie, for what that’s worth
Stallone gave Rourke a gig (Get Carter)when nobody wanted to touch him with a stick, and Mickey is a loyal cat. Kudos to the guy.
I get that it was his point(but added with smarky comments on how this movie will “suck” because he doesnt like sly)….but if he hasnt signed on for any serious roles like that…then its pretty obvious he isnt getting offered those roles….
look at Stallone in Copland…he got great reviews on that…yet he couldnt get signed for anything after…
Like I said…The Wrestler was a role that comes once in a lifetime that was tailor made for Rourke….now its back to sincity2, and Action romps for him…
but what makes an action romp bad?? does EVERY movie have to be some “thespian” oscar material?? or are we not allowed to have fun at the movies sometime??
Sly did a great job with RB/Rambo…and according to AICN the scrip for Expendables is a winner….
“but what makes an action romp bad?? does EVERY movie have to be some “thespian” oscar material?? or are we not allowed to have fun at the movies sometime??”
Mike, I totally agree with you. I’m all for a fun action movie. I can’t wait until Sin City 2 comes out, I loved Rourke in the first one. And like I said, I thought Sly did a decent enough job with Rocky Balboa, but Rambo just failed for me personally. I found myself laughing through much of it, and I shouldn’t have been. But everyone is entitled to their opinions.
stallone hasn’t made a halfway decent movie since copland but its besides the point because now rourke is going to be in iron man 2 anyways
so, here’s the thing…if stallone were actually a washed-up joke, bad at his job, etc., do you think he’d really score such a big lineup of actors in his upcoming picture? (my answer: no.)
Rourke was underrated in the underrated Coppola adaptation of John Grisham’s The Rainmaker.
Just stumbled upon this horrible article. I just have one question, who do you know in Hollywood right now, who writes directs and stars in films that make money(profits)???
Dont worry I will wait………
exactly. (and he’s 62!)
I think that Rourke can’t yet expect every script that comes his way to be like The Wrestler. He was very honest on a recent interview that people like Robert Rodriguez and Stallone gave him chances when nobody else would, which led to him getting in contact with Darren Aronofsky (sp?). He’s simply began to reconstruct his career slowly and this seems like the right way to go.
Mr Rourke has been through a LOT!! He is humble and I would like nothing more than to see him win an Oscar his comeback is long overdue. He threw himself into this role and Hollywood needs to take notice.
The wrestler was a real good movie and Rourke was great but the movie was actually a lot like stallones Rocky Balboa. Stallones performance in that was great and no one can cut him up for that movie.
People just like to rip stallone because of a few of his 80’s movies, he great performances too-copland, rocky.
The cast looks great so these actors must see something beyond the paycheck to sign up for this film
I agree with most of these comments. Sly will be Sly and is a master at what he does. I think it’s a great choice for Mickey. There will be more art. We all like a cartoon before a feature presentation! Iy’s so nice to see such a great talent on the big screen again.
Yeah, it was Listen 2 This. I liked those, but then they started not being exclusively about music, (they started to include video games & comic books too) http://hardwood-floor.emenace.com/brucehar62/46.html rig floor pictures undefined
I agree. I’m not thrilled he is working on a sly movie. But he needs to. Sly helped him at his lowest moment. It will prove to be a good move for him. Mickey is honest and true. That will come through. If he wins the Oscar, it’s not going to matter. I think he will win. Every actor out there is hoping he wins. It will be a major feel good move for the entire industry. The more armor Mickey sheds, the more he is confident. The better he is as an actor. I think you will see him do amazing things. Don’t worry. The main thing you want to see is Mickey paired up with great directors that he wants to work hard for, and keep that keep him focused.