The Expendables 2 is a 2012 American action film directed by Simon West, written by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone, who also starred in the lead role. The film is based on a story by Ken Kaufman, David Agosto and Wenk. Brian Tyler returned to score the film. It is the sequel to The Expendables (2010), and is the second installment in The Expendables franchise. The film co-stars an ensemble cast of largely action film actors consisting of Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the film, The Expendables undertake a mission which evolves into a quest for revenge against rival mercenary Jean Vilain, who murders one of their own men and threatens the world with a deadly secret weapon.