Studio:
Miramax Films.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: Script Stage.
Who's In It:
Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo, in discussions).
Who's Making It:
Scott Rosenberg (Screenwriter, unconfirmed).
Premise: The idea being pitched right now is for Rambo to infilitrate a right-wing militia group planning to topple the American government through acts of terror.
Release Date: Unknown.
Comments:
1988 was the last time we saw John Rambo in action (if you don't count all those jokes you heard during late night talk show monologues.) Times have changed and America's enemies aren't as clearly defined as they once were. The Russians are broke, Saddam's neighborhood has been relatively quiet, and the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong was bloodless. So who's the bad guy in today's New World Order supposed to be?
Read the newspaper and find out who's next on Rambo's boot tip, we suppose. Drawing from the tragic incident that happened in Oklahoma City, the Unibomber manifesto and the growing rise in militia groups spreading across America you suddenly find yourself with villains for the next century. And they certainly can terrify: operating in secret, striking anywhere and completely devoted to their cause. The question is how will Miramax transform the Rambo character: will he retain the 'larger than life' comic book aspect that's contributed jokes to many a comedian's material, or will they try to make him more of an 'everyday' hero, a la John McClane from Die Hard or Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon? If they decide to opt for the militia storyline for the next picture, chances are there'll be some kind of transformation of the Rambo character as well.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
July 12, 1997... [Page drafted and submitted by 'Deadpool'.]
On May 13, 1997 Dimention Films purchased the prequel and sequel rights for the Rambo franchise at the Carolco bankrupcy sale for $500,000. At the time, Miramax (the parent studio that distributes Dimention Films, and who are best known for 'independent' films instead of 'action' pictures) said that they would like to break new ground. Miramax is the same place where Stallone found what he's called his 'breakthrough' film, Cop Land. Keeping that in mind, chances are good that Stallone would likely work for the same studio that considered him talented enough to play the lead in a straight dramatic picture. Advance word indicates that Stallone 'favors' the proposed militia storyline and would like to play a older John Rambo. [Thanks to the many other who contributed information: 'slui', 'Nicky the Warlock', 'Agent X', 'Snowdog', 'ebertran', 'Mr. Orange', Zentertainment, 'Hannibal92', 'widgett', 'SeTHMaN' and 'H.B.'.]
September 30, 1997... While watching a locally-produced entertainment program, a Dutch scooper caught an interview with Sylvester Stallone. Stallone said that, at the present moment, his involvement with a new Rambo picture was nothing more than rumor. [Submitted by D. Sijnen.]
November 18, 1997... Wonderful Diane tells us that the screenwriter attached to the project is Scott Rosenberg, who previously wrote Con-Air and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. [Thanks to Diane.]
April 16, 1998... "A friend of mine who's first cousin works for Warner got me a copy of the script, and I must say that I was very impressed," writes our scooper. They tells us that the new Rambo script is about a man from Rambo's past, Thomas Flannery, seeking revenge on the hero. Flannery was a comrade of Rambo's back in Vietnam until it was revealed that he was actually a spy working for the Vietnamese. Now Flannery has built up an empire in the jungles of North Vietnam and wants revenge on the man who cost him his left eye -- and that's none other than Johnny, who's now got short hair and glasses (!) as well as a wife and child. Flannery kidnapps Rambo's wife and child, leaving a note of credit behind. Rambo has to journey to Vietnam to rescue them. By the end of the script so much time has passed by that Rambo's hair has grown back to it's full length!
We'll try to confirm if this is the Rosenberg script or not. [Scoop submitted anonymously.]
August 30, 1998... Don't say we didn't warn you ahead of time, but...in the latest National Enquirer there's a bit of tabloid gossip concerning Sylvester Stallone that relates to this film. In article in the Enquirer claims Stallone is suing a wigmaker for publically saying the actor wears hair extensionns because he's going bald. Stallone sounded back that he's not going bald and merely had hair extensions put in for one week to do some photo-testing of the long-mained look for Rambo 4.
Whoa, Rambo 4?! Even though Stallone has never officially confirmed or denied his interest in starring in another Rambo film, and even though this report comes from a source that doesn't have an oustanding track record for publishing hard, journalistic news, the report can't be dismissed so easily. Tabloids have been notorious for printing false statements about stars personal lives, while also in the same issue, printing a factual synopsis for an upcoming, much-hyped blockbuster. Stallone may have indeed done test photos to see if he can still pull off the Rambo look...but that doesn't mean the movie has been greenlit just yet. Still, if Stallone did indeed participate in the shoot, it could be viewed as a significant step forward along the path of production. [Thanks to 'Stax' for shopping for groceries.]
September 20, 1998... A scooper has told us that Rambo 3 was released in 1988, not 1989, as our Comments section originally listed. We can only figure that Pat got a visit from the man himself about Pat's Soldier of Fortune subscription that lapsed out in 1989. But that's just a hunch. [Thanks to 'cohetes' for keeping us straight]
October 20, 1998... From across the pond comes this interesting report, where a French site states "...that Stallone contacted Brian Dennehy, the sheriff from Rambo 1, to appear in Rambo 4. The possibilities are that sheriff as militia member either uncovers Rambo's mission or helps him." [Thanks to 'pazouto' for the translated news.]
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