Kelsey Grammer is signing on to The Expendables 3 and is set to play Bonaparte, an ex-mercenary who aids the titular heroes in their mission. The role was originally rumored for Nicolas Cage but he has since dropped out and Grammer has replaced him.
Grammer is best known for his role in the TV series Frasier, where he played a mild-mannered shrink-turned-radio host. Now however, he has become one of the tough guys in Hollywood. Most of that came from his role as ferocious power broker Mayor Tom Kane in Starz’ series Boss. Sadly, the show was cancelled but Michael Bay was such a fan of it that he decided to have Grammer cast as the villain in Transformers: Age Of Extinction, which is the second franchise film in a row for the Frasier actor.
Frasier joins a cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terry Crews, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Wesley Snipes.
Grammer worked recently with Sylvester Stallone in John Herzfeld’s Reach Me, which explains his casting here. Additionally, the actor also has a new series with Martin Lawrence in the works which is being housed at Lionsgate, who are behind the Expendable films.
Filming is already underway in Bulgaria for The Expendables 3. Patrick Hughes is directing from the script written by Katrin Benedict, Creighton Rothenberger and Sylvester Stallone.
The film will hit theatres on August 15th, 2014.