Back in May hetold Empire he was 99% sure there would never be a Rambo 5. But that remaining percentage point is still rattling around that testosteroney mind: Sylvester Stallone has hinted that he might just be interested in a Rambo prequel.
The fifth film was originally intended as a south-of-the-border kidnap thriller. Then it was went weirdly sci-fi, then back to its original form. And then it became nothing. "The character came full circle [in the fourth film]; he went home," Sly told us. "For Rambo to go on another adventure might be misinterpreted as a mercenary gesture and not necessary."
But as part of his week-long fan q&a at Ain't It Cool to publicise The Expendables, Sly was asked about going backwards rather than forwards with the franchise.
"I certainly think this is worth pondering," was his response. "It's intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how peope have 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 having played it for twenty years plus..."
Just musing then, but it's certainly intriguing to speculate that David Morrell's original, leaner First Blood John Rambo may one day resurface. Somewhere down the line, when, Eastwood-like, Stallone has fully retired from in front of the camera to a permanent seat behind it, re-cast, re-tooled and re-booted, Rambo may yet return...
The Expendables is out on August 19th.