This past weekend saw Sylvester Stallone return, for the sixth time, to the role that made his career: mumbly Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa. But the difference this time was that the comeback was a triumph: Ryan Coogler’s “Creed,” which sees Rocky as the mentor and trainer to the son (Michael B. Jordan) of his former rival and friend Apollo Creed, is one of the best-reviewed studio movies of the year, an undoubted hit, and a film that’s getting plenty of awards buzz, including a potential supporting-actor nomination for Stallone.
And clearly, it’s got the actor thinking about other potential ways to return to his best-known characters, as Deadline reveals that the star is executive-producing, and potentially appearing in, a new show called “Rambo: New Blood” for Fox. As the title might suggest, it’s a new twist on the military man he’s played four times since 1982’s “First Blood.”
The show would focus on the relationship between John Rambo and his son J.R., a former Navy S.E.A.L. The script comes from Jeb Stuart, who has undoubted action bona-fides thanks to credits on “Die Hard” and “The Fugitive,” while Millennium and Entertainment One have teamed up to produce, with Fox developing the show.
There are apparently conflicting reports as to whether Stallone’s deal to act in the show has closed, and some would question whether it’s the right move after the big-screen of success of “Creed” and the Oscar buzz. But it sounds like it would be difficult to make the show work without him, so if it progresses (unlike the aborted “Beverly Hills Cop” show from a few years back, which would have featured occasional appearances from Eddie Murphy), expect him to crop up somehow. More news on this as it comes in.
Update 12/7: Deadline reports that Stallone will not be in the “Rambo” show. “I wish the others well with the project,” the actor said.
