Fox Is Making A 'Rambo' Series, Just In Case You Need More Throat-Ripping On Network Television

Fox Is Making A ‘Rambo’ Series, Just In Case You Need More Throat-Ripping On Network Television

A fifthRambomoviehas been in the works for years, with different iterations of the film cropping up every year or so. At one point, it would have been titledRambo: Savage Hunt, and would’ve seenSylvester Stallone’s rogue soldierbattling a genetically engineered monster. And then it becameRambo: Last Stand, anUnforgiven-esquetale that would’ve supposedly seen Rambo taking the fight to Mexican drug cartels. Last year, Stallonedoubled down on the drug cartel concept, saying that itwould be filmed afterCreedand would be titledLast Blood.

Anyway, you should always write Rambo news with dry erase markers because the plans have once again changed.Rambo Vmay not be dead yet, but it’ll now have to compete withRambo: New Blood, a new television series that will continue the story of John Rambo on Fox. Oh, and Rambo’s long-lost son will be along for the ride.

The news arrives viaDeadline, who report that Sylvester Stallone has inked a deal to executive produce the series. Their report also says that the series will explore “… the complex relationship between Rambo and his son, J.R., an ex-Navy SEAL,” which certainly implies that Stallone will be playing a proper role in the show and won’t just be stopping by for a quick guest spot. WriterJeb Stuart, whose credits includeDie HardandThe Fugitive, is attached to the series.

This the first time we’ve heard about John Rambo having a son, which makes us wonder exactly when this brutal, traumatized soldier found time to father a child. Was it before or after he declared war on a small town and went to prison? Maybe it was in-between that time he went back to Vietnam and single-handedly won the war, and that time he accidentally helped the Taliban seize power in Afghanistan? He certainly wasn’t meeting many ladies as a grumpy, grunting hermit living in the jungles of Burma.

But in any case, Rambo has a son and this child followed in his father’s footsteps and became a soldier and now they’re getting to go on adventures together. Aww. Hopefully, dad will teach little J.R. the art of the throat-rip. IfHannibalcould get away with such extreme violence on NBC, then surely Fox will allow this to happen on a regular basis:

There are still many unknowns here. It’s possible thatRambo: New Bloodwill focus almost entirely on J.R., which Stallone only popping in to wish him luck every so often. However, theDeadlinereport seems confident that this won’t be like theBeverly Hills Copseries, which only brought Eddie Murphy back for the ill-fated pilot. Hey, ifEvil Dead 4could becomeAsh vs Evil Dead, then why can’tRambo Vbecome a series on Fox? If Bruce Campbell can revive his most famous character on television, then Sylvester Stallone can easily follow suit.

Between this andCreed, it looks like Stallone has entered the “passing the franchise torch to the next generation” phase of his career. Hopefully, this show ishalf as good as the excellentCreed.

But here’s the big question: can this new series possibly top John Rambo’s previous small screen outing?