Mike Fleming at Deadline broke the story, and in doing mentions that Rourke showed up the first time largely as a favor to good buddy Stallone.  Apparently, The Expendables 2 could not make it worth Rourke's while to return.  Big old SPOILER alert, but in the aforementioned synopsis, Rourke's character is murdered whilst on a mission, leading his comrades to take on a mission of vengeance.  SPOILER's over.  The Expendables 2 is currently shooting in Bulgaria, and it's unknown whether or not that synopsis accurately reflects current drafts of the screenplay by David Agosto and Ken Kaufman.

Rourke has been associated with Seven Psychopaths since early May, when he, Sam Rockwell, and Christopher Walken were all connected to the film from the writer and director responsible for In Bruges, the criminally underappreciated 2008 that is slowly but surely finding the audience it deserves.  Colin Farrell, who did career-best work on In Bruges stars as a screenwriter searching for inspiration who, through his two buddies played by Rockwell and Walken, becomes involved in a scheme to dognap the Shih Tzu of an exceedingly dangerous criminal.  Naturally, Rourke will play that criminal.

So yeah, Seven Psychopaths sounds likely to be all manner of outstanding, but don't cry for The Expendables 2.  The sequel, directed by Con-Air helmer Simon West, has Stallone back in his beret as Barney Ross, along with Statham for backup and Hemsworth playing a younger Exendable.  Terry Crews, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Jean Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, and Scott Adkins are also in on the action shenanigans, with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger showing up again.  Nicolas Cage and John Travolta have been rumored as well, but who knows if either will come to pass.

The Expendables 2 is set for release on August 17, 2012.

Seven Psychopaths does not yet have a release date, but will be distributed by CBS Films here in the States.