Stallone reveals why he didn’t direct Rambo: Last Blood

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

This Friday, we'll finally see the return of Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in director Adrian Grunberg's RAMBO: LAST BLOOD. Earlier today we shared a new "relentlessly savage" red band trailer, and now we've learned from the man himself just why Stallone didn't direct this new entry. 

Stallone reveals:

Yeah, it was just a matter of timing. I was working on something else. But with Adrian [Grunberg], I saw what he did before and I knew he'd be a good partner — that if there were suggestions to be made as to, you know, this or that may not work. It was very good because obviously he worked very, very, very hard. But he was amenable to keeping it in the same, I guess, the same sort of look. I remember I had a problem when I had to take it over for John [Avildsen] in Rocky. So I'm directing Rocky II, and I realize I have to keep this similar style because it's this direct cut. Rocky leaves the ring and he’s in the hospital. So I directed kind of like John Avildsen. And then it worked fine.

He continues:

With Adrian, he used his style but he stayed pretty close to the last one that was in Burma, which I think was good. I wouldn't want all of a sudden jump into some very dramatic change. Like a Darren Aronofsky. Who I think is a great director. But that would've been like, ‘Wow, what a shock!’ You know what I mean?

The MPAA recently slapped the film with an R-rating for strong graphic violence, grisly images, drug use, and language. Sounds good to me! The new RAMBO movie is all set to snag an opening weekend of $20 million. That sounds about right to this guy. So let me ask you while I have you here, do YOU plan on seeing LAST BLOOD this weekend? Let us know below!

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD sees: 

Vietnam vet John Rambo take on the Mexican drug cartels after the daughter of one of his friends is kidnapped. 

Avi Lerner’s Millennium is behind the film, which is directed by Adrian Grunberg (GET THE GRINGO) from a screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick (PAID IN FULL). Kevin King Templeton and Les Weldon are producing, with Lerner, Trevor Short, and Boaz Davidson exec producing. Stallone's costars include Paz Vega as "Carmen Delgado, a reporter who covers the Mexican drug trade and teams up with Rambo after her younger half-sister is kidnapped," and Yvette Monreal is taking on the role of the younger half-sister in question. It will hit theaters in wide release via Lionsgate THIS FRIDAY.

How excited are you about LAST BLOOD? Let us know below! Then snag a copy of the badass fourth entry RAMBO on Blu-ray HERE.