Sylvester Stallone has retired from Rambo

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

In the years since the release of RAMBO (which still stomps a mudhole in your ass whenever you watch it), there have been rumors Sly Stallone would strap on the headband one last time to play John Rambo. There was even talk the film would dip into sci-fi/horror territory, which sounded both cool and preposterous. Late last year, it came to light the character’s son would be getting a TV series to call his own, although Stallone himself has stated he will not be involved. With all this ruckus, is there still a chance we’ll see the original Rambo on the big screen again?

The answer: No. That has been confirmed by Sly himself in an interview with Variety, where the actor – who just might receive a Best Supporting Actor nom for his work in CREED – lets it be known that 2008’s RAMBO was the last go-round for the character. Read on:

The heart’s willing, but the body says, ‘Stay home!.’ It’s like fighters that go back for one last round and get clobbered. Leave it to someone else.”  

Stallone goes on to talk about how satisfied he is with RAMBO being the last act for the legendary character:

You know when you realize there’s nothing more to pull out? As an action film, I was very satisfied that it dealt with the Burmese situation. It had one foot in a current event, the longest civil war in history, 65 years at that time. It was so brutal, which civil war is, I was shocked they even gave me an R-rating. I didn’t want to compromise. I said, ‘This is probably going to be the last decent film of this genre that I’m going to do as a solo act.’ When that was accomplished, I never felt the same willingness to do it again.”

There’s nothing left. When they asked me to do another ‘Rambo,’ I said, ‘If I can’t do better than I did last time, and I can’t, then why’?”

Finally, Stallone doubles down on the fact he won’t be participating in the First Blood TV series:

I don’t want to cast aspersions, but it’s delicate to try to replace a character with his son. I’ve seen the son of Flicka, the son of Tarzan, the son of King Kong, the son of Godzilla. It’s a very difficult premise.”

Thanks for the bloody memories, John Rambo.