Never let it be said - we may as well get the gag out of the way now - that Sylvester Stallone doesn't put his neck on the line for his films. The writer, director and star of the epic-looking The Expendables has revealed that he managed to break his during the shoot of the film, which - as you might have gathered over the past few months - is one of our most eagerly awaited of the year.

Just in case The Expendables has escaped you thus far, it's the action film that brings together Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lungdren, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve Austin, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts.

Of that cast list, it was actually Steve Austin who managed to break Stallone's neck, too. The pair were filming a fight scene, which Stallone told FHM became vicious to the point where Sly needed surgery and had to have a metal plate put in his neck.

We don't know about you, but this is just the kind of story we wanted to hear from the shoot of The Expendables. While we wish Stallone no ill will, this is a film with lots of action and people beating the shit out of each other, that's not being overpowered by computer managed fight scenes.

"It was seven guys, kicking each other's ass, one guy tougher than the next," Stallone told FHM. The film's August release date can't come quickly enough...