Rambo: New Blood TV Series (w/ Sylvester Stallone?)
Quote:
After lengthy negotiations, Fox has closed a development deal for Rambo: New Blood, a TV series based on the hit featureFox logo horizontal franchise, with Sylvester Stallone executive producing. I hear conflicting information whether Stallone has a deal in place to act in the project — about Rambo and his son — but sources indicate that he is expected to reprise his role as the famous renegade soldier, which he has played in all four Rambo movies to date.
Written by feature writer Jeb Stuart (Die Hard, The Fugitive), the Rambo TV series, from Entertainment One and Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films pays homage to the films, exploring the complex relationship between Rambo and his son, J.R., an ex-Navy SEAL. J.R. is a new character not been featured in the movies that has been added as a way into the series. As the logline suggests, Rambo would be a key character on the show unlike other TV series followups, like the proposed Beverly Hills Cop series for CBS, which centered on the son of Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley, with Murphy only slated to make occasional appearances.
Nu Image/Millenium Films, which has the rights to Rambo, and eOne originally teamed to develop a Rambo TV series in 2013 with the goal to shop it to broadcasters in the U.S. and internationally.
Based on the David Morrell novel First Blood, the Rambo films center on a troubled Vietnam War veteran and former Green Beret (Stallone) who is skilled in many aspects of survival, weaponry, hand-to-hand combat and guerrilla warfare. The franchise consists of the films First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III and Rambo. Lerner and Stallone worked together on the 2008 Rambo feature and had planned a fifth installment, Rambo: Last Blood, which had been put on hold. The duo’s other action feature collaboration, the Expendables franchise, also is getting a TV adaptation at Fox with them executive producing. The Expendables event series, now in development, has NCIS: LA‘s Shane Brennan serving as showrunner.
The Rambo TV series will be produced by eOne in partnership with Millenium Films, with Stuart, Stallone and Lerner executive producing and eOne handling worldwide rights in all media. At eOne, the project is being overseen by EVP Carrie Stein.
On TV, Rambo previously got animated treatment with the 1986 syndicated series Rambo: The Force of Freedom.
Stallone is coming off the strong debut of the latest installment in another signature feature franchise, Rocky. Offshoot Creed opened to impressive $42.6 million in the domestic boxoffice and overwhelmingly positive reviews, with Stallone tipped as a possible Oscar contender for reprising his role as the retired professional boxer.
Surprised the show is popping up again. Done correctly, like Limitless and Fargo, it could work. Good team behind it right now as well, so there's hope.
There was strong rumours a few months ago that funding for the film fell through. It looks like Rambo is going to the small screen. Though does it really need to happen? Rambo and son just sounds awful.
There was strong rumours a few months ago that funding for the film fell through. It looks like Rambo is going to the small screen. Though does it really need to happen? Rambo and son just sounds awful.
Rambo and Creed's son sounded awful to many too...It turned out to be great. I'm more than willing to give this the benefit of the doubt.
Rambo and Creed's son sounded awful to many too...It turned out to be great. I'm more than willing to give this the benefit of the doubt.
True. I even read some of the early drafts of the script for Creed and wasn't impressed but the final film really turned out for the best. Stallone seems to be pondering if he should play Rambo again though.
If it's going to be called "Rambo" then it needs to have Sly in the lead role, front and center in every single episode. If it's all about a new character, count me out.
There was strong rumours a few months ago that funding for the film fell through. It looks like Rambo is going to the small screen. Though does it really need to happen? Rambo and son just sounds awful.
The proposed Rambo: New Blood TV series for Fox will not include the actor who originated the role and has played it in every movie in the franchise. Despite being listed as an executive producer in the credits for the projects by the entities involved, Stallone and his reps told Deadline that will not be the case. “Contrary to reports, Sylvester Stallone has opted not to participate in the planned Rambo television series in any way at all,” a spokesperson for Stallone said. Added Stallone, “I wish the others well with the project.”
The production companies behind the Rambo TV series, Entertainment One and Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films, had been looking to get Stallone on board. In 2013, when the project was first announced, the two companies said that they were in negotiations with the actor “to be involved with the project on a creative level as well as potentially reprise his iconic role as the original Rambo.”
When Rambo: New Blood — about Rambo’s relationship with his son — was recently bought by Fox for development, it was done so with Stallone presumably executive producing and entertaining an option to play the famous renegade soldier. However, the extent of Stallone’s involvement in the project always had been a subject of debate, depending who you talk to, with sources close to the actor indicating that he might not have had a formal deal for the series. One is clear — he does not plan to be part of it in any capacity. Without Stallone, the project is unlikely to go forward at Fox.
Stallone is an executive producer alongside Lerner on another Fox series project based on an action feature franchise, The Expendables. An Expendables event series, now in development, has NCIS: LA‘s Shane Brennan serving as showrunner.
Written by Jeb Stuart (Die Hard, The Fugitive), Rambo: New Blood pays homage to the films, exploring the complex relationship between John Rambo and his son, J.R., an ex-Navy SEAL. J.R. is a new character that has been added as a way into the series.
Based on the David Morrell novel First Blood, the Rambo center on a troubled Vietnam War veteran and former Green Beret (Stallone) who is skilled in many aspects of survival, weaponry, hand-to-hand combat and guerrilla warfare. The franchise consists of the films First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III and Rambo. Lerner and Stallone worked together on the 2008 Rambo feature and had planned a fifth installment, Rambo: Last Blood, which had been on hold.
Stallone is coming off the strong debut of the latest installment in another signature feature franchise. The Rocky offshoot Creed opened to an impressive $42.6 million in the domestic boxoffice and overwhelmingly positive reviews, with Stallone tipped as a possible Oscar contender for reprising his signature role as retired prizefighter Rocky Balboa.
Well, I'm out. No Stallone, no sale.
Last edited by Walts Ghost; 12-07-2015 at 06:56 PM.
No thanks if Stallone is out of this. As it is, I didn't have high hopes with it being on a broadcast network. Now, a cable network (or of course, a premium one like HBO) with more freedom... I think they could do something great.
I don't like the idea to get Stallone on a TV series. He's Stallone.
Said that, I don't like to get Rambo on a TV series too. He's Rambo, lead character of 4 terrific theatrical movies.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Rambo: New Blood TV Series (w/ Sylvester Stallone?)
Linear Mode
