Alan Ritchson is a popular fan casting to take over The Expendables franchise, but he already fronted his own “men on a mission” flick with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Ever since being cast as Jack Reacher on the Prime series, Alan Ritchson’s career has gone from strength to strength.
The show itself is still going strong and Reacher season 4 will adapt Gone Tomorrow, while Ritchson will guest star on the upcoming spinoff, Neagley. The star has multiple movies in the works too, including Motor City, Runner and The Man with the Bag, co-starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It feels like everyone is rooting for Ritchson to become the next big action star, and he’s become a popular fan casting to inherit The Expendables franchise. The Sylvester Stallone saga came to a shuddering halt with 2023’s Expendables 4, which was a critical and commercial disaster.
It’s a franchise badly in need of fresh blood, and it would be easy to see Ritchson fitting into that world. Of course, there’s no word on a potential new Expendables, and the series itself may be finished.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Gave Alan Ritchson His Version Of The Expendables
Even if Ritchson never gets the chance to be an Expendable, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare already scratches that particular itch. This Guy Ritchie movie is a highly fictionalized (emphasis on highly) take on the real-life Special Operations Executive organization that operated during World War II.
Ritchie turns the story into an action caper, where this team – fronted by Henry Cavill’s Gus March-Phillipps and Ritchson’s Anders Lassen – wage a covert war against the Nazis. The film itself is quite fluffy and insubstantial and utterly useless as a history lesson. That doesn’t prevent it from being great fun, though.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has an incredible cast, which includes Eiza González, Cary Elwes and Rory Kinnear, and Ritchie keeps it moving fast. The movie also has slick action and really gives both Cavill and Ritchson a great showcase for their talents.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Is Better Than Most Of The Expendables Franchise
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is more evocative of old-school World War 2 movies like The Dirty Dozen than The Expendables, but they’re all playing in a similiar sandbox. One thing that’s undeniable is that the film is way more fun than the last two Expendables.
2014’s The Expendables 3 may have added more icons like Harrison Ford and Wesley Snipes, but it was a vapid, overstuffed mess. Expendables 4 was meant to be the franchise’s big comeback after a decade break, and one that handed the keys to Jason Statham’s Christmas.
The Expendables Franchise
Budget
Box Office
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
The Expendables (2010)
$82 Million
$268,268,174
42%
The Expendables 2 (2012)
$100 Million
$311,979,25
67%
Expendables 3 (2014)
$100 Million
$209,461,378
32%
Expend4bles (2023)
$100 Million
$51,133,603
14%
Instead, it was a cheap-looking mess that felt like a STV action movie that somehow made it to theaters. It also made the baffling choice to sideline Stallone’s leader, Barney. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has its flaws – including misfiring humor and an unearned smugness – but it’s still a breezy good time regardless.
A weakness of the entire Expendables series is a lack of consistency. The original didn’t get the balance of drama and comedy right, and while the 2012 sequel had superior action, its humor could be real cringe. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, at the very least, picks a tone and sticks to it.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Was A Box Office Dud In 2024
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare had a name cast, a big director and killer hook – none of which prevented it from being a box-office flop in the U.S. The film only made about half of its $60 million budget back in theaters, and while reviews were mixed, the reception was still broadly positive.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has James Bond connections too, with author Ian Fleming actually being a character in the story played by Freddie Fox.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare probably would have fared well at the UK box office, but it instead went straight to streaming on Prime. The film appears to have been a streaming success at least, no doubt thanks to the presence of Ritchson, Cavill and Ritchie.
Still, it’s a shame it didn’t make a bigger splash in theaters. It’s a rare treat to see a big-budget World War 2 adventure on the big screen, but despite being set up for success, the film just didn’t click during its theatrical run.
Alan Ritchson Is Still The Best Choice To Take Over The Expendables
He has yet to fully leap to movie stardom, but Ritchson’s work in Reacher and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare shows he’s still the top choice to front an Expendables. He’s got the charisma, the humor, the physique, and he certainly has the action chops.
The next Expendables could benefit from a total creative reset, including a new cast and director who wants to take it in a fresh direction. Ironically enough, Ritchie himself would be a great choice for the helmer’s seat – though he would probably insist on bringing his old pal Statham back into the fold.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare might be the closest thing to an Alan Ritchson Expendables action fans will get. The Expendables saga isn’t likely to return anytime soon, while Ritchson is busy on multiple other projects. Still, a man can dream.
Source: Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes
Created by
David Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
First Film
The Expendables
Latest Film
Expend4bles
Cast
Jason Statham, Curtis Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, Andy Garcia, Sylvester Stallone, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes
Movie(s)
The Expendables, The Expendables 2, The Expendables 3, Expend4bles, Expendables 5
Character(s)
Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Gunner Jensen, Trent Mauser, Yin Yang, Hale Caesar, Booker, Maggie (The Expendables)
The Expendables is an American action film franchise created by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone. It revolves around a team of elite mercenaries and serves as an homage to 1980s and 1990s blockbuster action films, featuring iconic action stars. The franchise includes four films, released between 2010 and 2023, along with comic books, video games, and potential spin-offs, including a canceled all-female film. Known for its ensemble cast and explosive action, The Expendables celebrates both classic and modern action heroes.
