While the first two installments of the action hero mash-ups in The Expendables franchise have been R-rated, The Expendables 3 will be sporting a PG-13 rating.  On one hand, this decision is a little strange considering this film is likely the last one to feature the veteran cast, so one might think they'd go all out for their last hurrah.  On the other hand, PG-13 ratings open up a significant portion of audiences, so this might be more of a financial decision than a creative one.

Starring Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Victor Ortiz, and Glen Powell, The Expendables 3 opens August 15th.  Hit the jump for more.

Exhibitor Relations reported on The Expendables 3 rating as follows:

In 2010, The Expendables brought in almost $275 million on an $80 million budget, with nearly two-thirds of that coming from the international market.  In 2012, the $100-million-sequel took over $305 million at the box office, with over 70% of that on the international stage.  Those two films were tagged with R ratings.  So while a PG-13 label likely means a reduction in the film's bloody carnage, it also means a wider audience and hopefully a bigger box office. This move makes the most sense if the veterans are crossing their fingers for a big payday, with the studio hoping the younger cast members help to draw in the teenage crowds.  Let us know your thoughts on the rating in the comments.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Expendables 3:

In THE EXPENDABLES 3, Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team come face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill… or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables — but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables’ most personal battle yet.