Australian director Patrick Hughes has been named by Sylvester Stallone to helm his newest writing endeavor, The Expendables 3. Nothing is official just yet though, as Hughes still has to win the approval of Millenium, the studio behind the Expendables franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hughes will be flying in shortly to meet with studio heads, but the director is pretty much a shoe in for the gig.

Hughes is a newbie in the director’s seat, with one feature film on his record – a critically acclaimed 2010 thriller, which starred Ryan Kwanten as a city police officer on a thrill ride of a first day in a small country town. So, while he might be lacking in experience, Hughes isn’t exactly a wild card and Stallone probably knows what to expect of his work. It will be interesting to see how he handles the fast-paced action genre, though. However, with a cast this packed with famous action men, The Expendables can probably be carried on acting alone.

A lot of the stars of the previous two films are expected to return for The Expendables 3, including Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren. Some rumored additions to the already star-studded cast include Wesley Snipes and Jackie Chan. Stallone is currently in the midst of penning the script, with shooting expected to commence sometime this summer.

Sylvester Stallone, Bullet to the Head Premiere
Stallone is about to join forces with Australian newcomer Patrick Hughes