Stallone Intrigued by Rambo Prequel
Jul 30, 2010 by Chris SchraderSylvester Stallone is open to the idea of directing a First Blood prequel set in Vietnam, with a younger actor playing John Rambo.
Sylvester Stallone has employed a unique strategy to help promote his latest film, The Expendables - he’s been answering questions submitted by the readers of Aint It Cool. When asked about the possibility of a Rambo prequel starring a new (and younger) actor in the title role, Stallone seemed surprisingly receptive to the idea.
Stallone previously stated that the Rambo franchise was done after deciding not to move forward with a fifth film that would have seen the character taking on Mexican drug cartels involved with human trafficking. Stallone’s reservations centered around the fact that Rambo’s mission in that film would be more of a “mercenary gesture” rather than something confronted out of necessity.
Apparently a pre-First Blood story that depicts Rambo’s time in Vietnam seems like a better fit. According to Stallone:
I certainly think this is worth pondering because it’s intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how people have come to become what they are. The traumas, the loss and the tragedy of being in Vietnam would certainly be a great challenge for a young actor and it would be ironic that Rambo directs younger Rambo after having played it for 20 plus years.
The reader who posed the question mentions that while Rambo’s back story is hinted at in the existing films, author David Morell’s First Blood novel (as well as his novelizations of the first two sequels) go into much greater deal in regards to the character’s history. Despite the fact that this leaves them with plenty of material to craft a Rambo prequel from, I’m not crazy about this idea.
Of course this is 100% speculation at this point and Stallone’s obviously not making any sort of official announcement on the matter, but I really hope this never materializes. I know a lot of people were excited about the version of Rambo 5 that had him battling a super-soldier, but I was not one of them. I loved the human trafficking story (which seemed like a much better fit for the Rambo universe) and I was extremely excited to see that film. Despite my disappointment at its cancellation, I understand Stallone’s satisfaction with the way Rambo wrapped up the franchise.
However, a huge part of why that ending works so well is the way it pays homage to the opening moments of First Blood. So the reason Stallone finds it unnecessary to go forward is the same reason I feel it’s just as unnecessary to go backwards.
I remember when there were rumors of a Die Hard prequel and I didn’t understand the point. A film following John McClane prior to the events of the first film would be just another cop movie. I feel the same way about a Rambo prequel. A young soldier struggling with the atrocities of Vietnam? I think that ground has been pretty well covered. What do you guys think?
Source: Ain’t It Cool.
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Prequel, sequel as long as it’s Rambo and Sylvester Stallone has something to do with it!!!
I WANT TO PLAY THE YOUNG RAMBO
If it’s Rambo, it’s good. Period.
Well, Heroes is over and Milo Ventimiglia is out of a job. I swear that kid looks like he is Sly’s kid.
well, considering he PLAYED slys kid in rocky balboa, you might be onto something there
I would love another Rambo movie if it was done well and was disappointed when the human trafficking film disintegrated but I agree with you 100%. The first two films provide enough backstory and a prequel will probably feel like a rehash of one of the last 3 films with more torture. We know how the story ends. We know enough about how it began. We didn’t need Darth Vader’s life story and I don’t think we need Rambo’s.
it wouldnt be a rehash, we only saw a glimpse of what he went through in vietman
i dont think Milo would suit playing Rambo
I think this is an excellent idea
I thought that the prequel was called First Blood?
No, the first Rambo movie is called First Blood..his name didn’t get into the titles of the movies until the sequels.
Anyway, there are PLENTY of concepts and ideas that have been done already, but it doesn’t mean they can’t do another movie. There’s nothing new under the sun. As long as it is conceived well and executed even better, I have no issues with a prequel.
Not a bad idea. I would like to see what Rambo went through previously that made him crack in First Blood.
its simple as to what made him crack, it was that ***hole sherrif
I’m really on board with this idea actually.
I was hesitant about a new one after the end of the last was a perfect tie to the story. However, finding a young Rambo and revisiting the past could open the door to a whole new line and fresh breath in the franchise.
(Same thing I think they should do with the upcoming Mad Max movies, cover his time starting on the melbourne police force rather than trying to slip a new actor into a preconceived time frame for the character.)
I’m not sure why his objection to the human-trafficking story is that it would seem “mercenary.” You just introduce characters who have connections with Rambo that make it necessary for him to take action. Say, the daughter or granddaughter of the guy who he’s going to visit in the opening minutes of First Blood, the one that died of Agent Orange-related cancer. If she were the one in jeopardy, you can’t tell me Rambo wouldn’t take action, nor even that there isn’t something he has left to learn about himself and his connections to others.
I hope Stallone changes his mind on this one, because I really like the idea of an aging Rambo… you listen to guys who know old special ops soldiers, and these guys are VERY lethal, simply because they know how to stay alive and don’t take unnecessary risks. I want to see Rambo using his lifetime of experience, rather than merely his physicality, to stay alive and win. (Not that there’s not plenty of that sort of thing in the first movie.)
there wont be another new rambo adventure, it was brought to closure in Rambo, which to me was perfectly fitting.
All take this over a remake of Total Recall,,,
u and me both 790, and the fact tht stallone hinted at directing it means no cgi crappola
I’d go see it.
This is very interesting. I have so many thoughts and ideas about it. When i first watched First Blood i remember thinking wow how did he learn to do all that stuff. I think it would be cool to see. If i was doing the movie i would start when he was a teenager. What made him go into the military? Did he have a choice? His first meeting with Troutman, what was that like? He had friends that he went looking for that were in his platoon that all died, were they like him? How did they interact? What kind of mission did he go on? what was his training like? Before he was in special forces what happened? I understand why he was treated the way he was in first blood because my Dad was in vietnam and he explained to me how people treated him bad when he got back. The soldiers didn’t understand it and they were treated like they did something wrong. Not like soldiers are treated now. I think it would be interesting for people to see how Rambo thought about things going in and how they changed or even if they did. I mean from the movies you don’t really know what his mindset was going in.
i would much prefer stallone direct and produce hunted(the book he was going to base rambo5 on(super solider one)) then to make a sequel/prequel to rambo. the franchise is finished, people should just leave it be, if they do make a prequel people will get angry of how sly isnt in it, and if they make a sequel then the die hard fans will get angry at seeing him go back to the action after making it clear that he was at peace with himself at the end of #4.
You liked human trafficking story ? God !
Can’t believe that,I think it was an awful idea.
Hunting a Super Soldier was the better choice,but still not what I would wish for a sequel !
Much better is a prequel…were we could se ortega and the guys..a young trautman ! Sounds good !
I welcomed the idea for Rambo 5 with the plot about human trafficking etc. But found it was better to leave the franchise end as it did with Rambo at the sametime. If they were to make a prequel, id expect it be little more or less like Rambo was, with the flashbacks seen in First Blood of him being tortured etc. And that being done to someone younger probly wouldn’t go over with some people. My opinion would be not to do the prequel and just leave the franchise as it is, and hope it doesnt get a reboot which it possibly will.
sam worthington as rambo?
no, hell no
A prequel would be great. I would have sly in with a therapist or someone that had him in for an interview (or maybe even in court fighting some charges due to Rambo (final) and saying that he was going to be reported anyways) after killing those pirates. He could then be talking about his past and vietnam experiences and training. Sly would be the narrator in the beginning then it breaks to the Prequel. I would be a huge fan of that war move and training and I believe it would be very successful. “Go for it” (rocky reference, but suits perfectly here)
I think a prequel is a great idea, and I never heard of a possible super soldier story sequel but I think that would have been awesome, I all so like the Mexican drug cartel concept. If garbage like Friday the 13h and Nightmare on Elm Street can have a million sequels why something good like rambo have a couple more. there should be a prequel and to sequels one dealing with the drug cartel concept and the other with the super soldier. I know that the rambo universe deals with more real life issues involving war but the possibility of unnatural enhancements to soldiers is becoming more a reality as technology moves forward so it would not be that out of place anymore.
If you were intrigued by the Vietnam flashbacks in Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood, you’ll be interested to see She Died Productions’ vision of what that story could be.
http://bit.ly/pickmick