Sylvester Stallone’s new movie The Expendables is big. Really, really big. At least that’s what a fawning writeup from New Orleans site nola.com would lead you to believe. So big, really, that there is easily room for a sequel. Or two. When asked about further films, producer Avi Lerner said, “definitely. We already have got some ideas about Expendables No. 2, No. 3. Definitely, it’s a franchise movie.” Granted, as The Playlist pointed out when they dug up this story in the first place, Lerner likes sequels, and at this point that’s just the sort of thing you say about a testosterone-filled movie like The Expendables.

Meanwhlie, Quentin Tarantino has spoken up about the possible Inglourious Basterds prequel. That’s after the jump.

So Tarantino had told the New York Times not too long ago that he had a prequel in mind for Basterds that involved a bunch of the core characters and a subplot, cut from the film, about an African-American unit of troops in WWII. Then Harvey Weinstein buffed up the idea that the prequel might happen. Now in an interview with Variety QT says he’s enthusiastic about the prequel, even as he admits, based on past experience that said enthusiasm might not mean much.

“Oh, yeah, I definitely do [have enough enthusiasm for the prequel]. I’ve written the first half already. I’d have to finish it, get the Basterds back together, and insert a whole other group of characters, these black troops that come across the Basterds.” The cast is evidently into it, too. “All through the movie, Brad Pitt and Eli Roth just kept saying, “Prequel. Prequel.” Brad would say, “Let’s talk him into doing a prequel.” The guys love the idea. I’ve got the storyline. Then again, I was going to do all these animated prequels to Kill Bill. I didn’t end up doing any of those.”

And finally, the rumor of Tarantino cutting a whopping chunk of film for the US release cut has been proven entirely false by QT, who says the locked final version of the film is…longer than the Cannes cut. By one minute. “I’ve heard these rumors that the studios told me to cut out 40 minutes. These are complete lies. The movie is actually a minute longer, in running time, than it was in Cannes. It was 2:28, without end credits, and now it’s 2:29, or 2:32 with end credits.”

Oh, one more thing: if you liked the Basterds soundtrack listing, you’ll probably like it more now, as QT has added a couple of new cues.