The Escape Plan series is a big, fun series of action films, led by Sylvester Stallone and with many recognizable stars. What's really cool is that the story's continuity gets a little tricky to understand at times but a guide will set you straight, especially as you dive deeper into these incredible films.
Escape Plan: The Series
What stands out about these movies is the theme - escaping from places that you might think it is impossible to ever get out! It also features Stallone as Ray Breslin, an amazing escape artist who has a talent for figuring out intricate security details. You might be surprised at just what these characters can do and the cool prisons they've infiltrated!
You are sure to feel on the edge of your seat when they take a chance on their Escape Plans, which just happen to come with really impressive results.
Fans will love getting into Stallone's story, as his characters become increasingly adventurous over each iteration. However, there might be times when the narrative gets complicated! For all the exciting parts to these movies it has a twist! Fans can't overlook how some of those choices affected what happened with "Escape Plan" and what happened in the sequel films.
The Films In Release Order
Sylvester Stallone is really good at making franchises! After he became a huge success in the world of film, thanks to the power of "Rocky," it was a huge moment! These epic series are more than just action-packed films and often get people to talk about just how intense they really are! His work has left an undeniable impact for movie goers, from Rambo to the great Expendables franchise.
- In the movie Escape Plan, the first, came out in 2013
But what is especially impressive, is that his first film is even better with a guest star that really changed the story- Arnold Schwarzenegger. It gave viewers an amazing chance to see this duo of action stars! The combination of talent and this iconic action flick led to $137 million! Even if it wasn't an incredibly huge hit.
A few years passed and audiences had a few other films to enjoy and then "Escape Plan 2: Hades" hit the big screens in 2018. You know the plot takes things to new heights! The cast even got a bit different, but Stallone came back to give viewers some great moments!
But what is truly surprising? That Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't back in the series but he was replaced with an awesome actor known for Guardians of the Galaxy, Dave Bautista.
With that amazing talent coming to the franchise, this series went through a change! Even Stallone spoke out against it, giving some brutal commentary, in saying that it was truly "awful"! The reception of this second film was not all that kind. Fans were looking for a more gripping story with a better storyline!
The Last Installment In The Series
Escape Plan: The Extractors hit theaters in 2019, adding another exciting iteration and this series continues to show why it is a cult classic!
But if we're talking the series' popularity! It looks like the sequel had some major improvements. The films found their groove bringing viewers to see something a lot more realistic and a bit more engaging. What makes this more enjoyable for fans? Bautista's role expanded.
Unfortunately, that didn't do much to save it from a less than amazing critical response. Despite those challenges it looks like we'll just have to see how this series will move forward and whether a fourth film could even see the light of day!
The Films in Chronological Order
With those exciting details about this trilogy in mind, there are lots of big moments that should make you keep coming back for more! There's a real compelling adventure. Ray Breslin is trying to prove his talents with some exciting results! The main storyline of the first film takes viewers to the heart of "The Tomb." There's a bit of a catch though- Breslin, the main protagonist of the series, finds himself stuck.
- "Escape Plan gives viewers this incredibly dramatic, but entertaining twist that will leave audiences wondering.
- Stallone's main goal is to get out! This is no ordinary prison! That is where he runs into the awesome character that is "Emil Rottmayer," who he meets in prison.
But this prison also holds a major secret as it turns out this person he befriended was actually "Victor Mannheim,", an extraordinary thief. This had everyone scrambling to understand that "The Tomb" has so much more than prison cells! That was just a way to really showcase Ray Breslin's unbelievable skills.
What Happens After:
- "Escape Plan 2: Hades" brought to the forefront how the sequel connected back to the first movie!
- It is revealed to viewers how these incredible escapes made Ray Breslin's mission to escape even more important.
- Ray was determined to destroy "Hades." and to rid the world of this incredibly intricate prison that kept people trapped.
A few other actors joined "The Extractors! It seems that a lot of them will be back, and the action will continue!
- What we got was an exciting journey with "Ray Breslin who went to work for this group, "The Extractors!" It also included some thrilling surprises, where "Ray " ends up needing to save some important people, like his "fiancée, Abigail"! This involved another jailbreak that led to even more chaos!
- In a move to keep audiences enthralled, there were even more twists with his partner "Clark who, you may remember was involved in one of the "Escape Plan" schemes from the beginning!
There are a couple of interesting parts. What happens as you get into all these crazy adventures and how some of the story has a long lasting legacy, making this truly a great film for anyone who is searching for fun movies, as Sylvester Stallone always seems to be there when you want that big adrenaline rush!
