Mel Gibson and Antonio Banderas on board for 'The Expendables 3'

After giving headliner Bruce Willis the boot and replacing him with Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone has recruited two additional stars for the next episode of the ongoing story.

Mel Gibson has been keeping a low profile in Hollywood over the past few years, but he seems to be ready to move back into the limelight. Already in the cast of the next Robert Rodriguez film ("Machete Kills"), the Australian actor has also taken a role in "The Expendables 3." Sylvester Stallone, the main driving force behind the Expendables franchise, confirmed the news via social media on Friday.

A few days earlier, Sly announced that he was no longer counting on Bruce Willis and had snagged Harrison Ford instead.

In the third installment of the "Expendables" saga, Mel Gibson will play a villain determined to undermine Barney Ross (Stallone) and his crew. The actor who famously portrayed William Wallace in "Braveheart" will join a cast that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Harrison Ford, Mickey Rourke, Wesley Snipes, Jackie Chan and of course Sylvester Stallone.

Last week, Lionsgate confirmed another big name for the credits of the upcoming film, Antonio Banderas. The Spanish actor will also share the billing with Mel Gibson in "Machete Kills."

In a press release, the film’s producers noted that casting negotiations will continue until the last minute, suggesting that the list of stars in the credits could grow yet again. "The Expendables 3" will begin shooting at the end of this summer for a release date of August 15, 2014 in the US.