Sylvester Stallone to Shoot Action Film in Costa Rica

Li and Stratham
Jet Li and Jason Statham Stared Together in the 2007 Movie “War”.

Costa Rica will be the set for the filming of Sylvester Stallone’s new action flick The Expendables, which tells the story of a group of mercenaries hired to depose a Latin American dictator. Stallone said filming will begin in February 2009, bringing Hollywood stars like Jet Li, Jason Statham (of Snatch and The Italian Job) and Stallone himself as screenwriter, actor and director to the country.

Stallone, best known for his role in the never-ending Rocky series, said he hopes that Oscar winner Forest Whitaker will sign on to join the team in the role of a scheming CIA agent who is involved in the undercover mission.

“Whereas the ‘Oceans 11′ films were an ensemble for good looking guys, this is an ensemble for ugly tough guys,” Stallone told The Hollywood Reporter. We are sure no offense was meant by that statement, as Stallone himself will play the role of one of the missionaries, and Mr. Statham is not known to be too hard on the eyes.

The film will be produced by Nu Image/Millennium Films and is aiming for a PG-13 rating, meaning less blood than the movie stars are generally associated with. Filming will also take place in Louisiana.

One might question Stallone’s logic basing such a politically charged film in Costa Rica, which hasn’t seen a standing army in 60 years, whereas Panama, its neighbor to the south, saw military dictator and drug lord Manuel Noriega ousted by the U.S. army in 1989, and not to mention the history of U.S. interference in Nicaragua to the north. However, Costa Rica’s reputation as a stable, peaceful nation and its beautiful varied landscapes has made it quite attractive to the Hollywood crowd.

This past April, actor/director Rob Schneider could be seen traveling between Grecia and La Fortuna filming scenes for the soon-to-be-released film The Chosen One. Mel Gibson, a common visitor and property owner in Costa Rica, has also held discussions with Costa Rican President Arias regarding his interest in developing the country’s film industry.

For all you Hollywood stalkers out there, what better time to come Visit Costa Rica? Hopefully this will pave the way for more on-site filming in this beautiful tropical paradise in the future. I know I won’t complain if there is a sudden onslaught of Hollywood hotties donning swimsuits at local Costa Rica beaches!

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