sylvester stallone

PicsArt_09-23-01.02.40.png

SAMARITAN: Stallone Courts ‘Overlord’ Director

Lee B. Golden III

After retiring two of his own franchises, actor, producer and star Sylvester Stallone still has a full plate being readied over at Balboa Productions. Samaritan will be his next project for MGM according to Deadline‘s Mike Fleming Jr. who reports that Julius Avery will take the director’s chair, following up on his riproaring thriller, Overlord. The film was announced last October described then as “a dark, fresh take on the superhero genre”. Fleming Jr.’s report follows up a bit more on the premise and word of an early 2020 start: Based on an original idea, the thriller centers on young boy who is out to discover if a mythic superhero, who vanished 20 years earlier following a tragic event, is still alive. Samaritan is the latest addition to Avery’s workloard following The Heavy with J.J. Abrams at Bad Robot, and a previous partnership with Kingsman helmer Matthew Vaughn for a […]

70498379_2444124382300456_6325581353412722688_n

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD Review: From First To The Last Drop!

So there I am, seven years old running around my house, with a red Bandana using the broom as a rifle, playing First Blood on VHS and yelling to my parents “I didn’t do anything” in Sylvester Stallone’s Fashion, as my love for action movies grew more and more. Now, 37 years after the original First Blood came out and Sylvester Stallone hitting 73 years of age Rambo: Last Blood hits theaters like its 1982, and I am sitting there with my popcorn feeling I am no older than 8. Even if my emotional connection to action movies is huge, and my opinion could be biased, I will always evaluate films with the following spectrum, objective and emotional. Honesty lies somewhere in between the two. So lets get this started. Objectively speaking, Rambo: Last Blood has too much of a simple story for it to be considered a good Rambo […]

Happy RAMBO DAY!

Lee B. Golden III

Lionsgate and Millenium are revving up Friday’s release of Rambo: Last Blood with Rambo Day. The city of Los Angeles will proclaim the day accordingly as well as the city of Bowie: Arizona where the first film, Rambo: First Blood, was filmed. A contest will also run as “The World’s Greatest Rambo Fan” Challenge with award prizes to be allocated based on short videos of fans doing their best Rambo impressions. Fans from around the world are encouraged to enter to win using the #RamboDay. “As we work to increase Bowie’s economic footprint, this national exposure as John Rambo’s hometown is priceless to us,” says Nancy-Jean Welker of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce. “We are deeply grateful for and proud of this distinction!” In addition, tickets are on sale for a Rambo Movie Marathon to be held at Alamo Drafthouse theatres across the country this weekend. Ticket purchases made September […]

Balboa Productions, Flame Ventures Plotting Hour-Long Dolph Lundgren Action Drama

Lee B. Golden III

The hits are heavy for what Flame Ventures is now planning for an hour-long action drama series being developed by the label’s own Tony Krantz who will exec produce. The project, pitched this week to sevral major networks (sans ABC) aims to reunite Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren with the latter to star. Drama vet Ken Sanzel (Reef Break) would write and showrun, as well as executive produce the series which sees Lundgren starring as the U.N.’s “secret special agent” at the Department of Safety and Security, “…a one-man S.W.A.T. team and hostage negotiator.” Stallone, currently looking to beef-up action-oriented projects at Balboa with partner Braden Aftergood, is also exec producing with Lundgren’s manager at Zero Gravity, Craig Baumgarten. The series marks the latest potential joint venture for Lundgren and Stallone who’ve been an iconic screen presence together since going the distance as opponents 34 years ago in Rocky IV. […]

PicsArt_07-29-11.51.08.png

THE BELLHOP: Iko Uwais Actioner In-Development At Balboa Productions

Lee B. Golden III

Variety has had some major Sylvester Stallone coverage in the past week with respect to the actor, producer and filmmaker’s endeavors, past and forthcoming. To date, the actor is currently building up his slate at Balboa Productions as he looks to build his banner up as “the go-to place for action films”, in the vein of Blumhouse. One such title joins the roster with The Bellhop according to that report which mentions the title among a raft of projects, and which is said to star actor Iko Uwais. Mention of the project, for which no details have yet been revealed, comes just weeks after the star of hit films like The Raid franchise, The Night Comes For Us with Joe Taslim and Michael Dowse’s Stuber, was announced in Shanghai for the lead in Hollywood Gang’s Chinatown Express, being written by Yalun Tu and Zach Hines. Uwais, who is repped by […]

ESCAPE PLAN: THE EXTRACTORS Lands The Red Band Treatment In A New Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

If a standard short trailer for John Herzfeld’s Escape Plan: The Extractors wasn’t enough, then how about a red-band trailer for all your Stallone and Bautista needs? Both action stars headline the latest and seemingly final installment which unleashes the beast on July 2 on Digital 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. Screen legend Sylvester Stallone kicks this explosive action tale into high gear. After security expert Ray Breslin (Stallone) is hired to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Hong Kong tech mogul from a formidable Latvian prison, Breslin’s girlfriend (Jaime King) is also captured. Now he and his team, which includes Dave Bautista and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, must pull off a deadly rescue mission to confront their sadistic foe and save the hostages before time runs out. Also starring are Jamie King, Max Zhang and Devon Sawa.

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD Trailer Spills Online With A Roaring Vengance!

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been 37 years since actor and cinematic trailblazer Sylvester Stallone led the beefcake era of the 80s with Ted Kotcheff’s novel adaptation, First Blood, centered on a stoic war hero fresh from battle and a world of survivor’s guilt triggered by an unruly sheriff. Folks who saw those events unfold in the 1982 hit movie know the unyielding nightmare that ensued, unleashing the name John Rambo into commercial circuitry, and ultimately, household fandom with years of multimedia and merchandising in tow before bookending with a trilogy by 1988. Now, twenty years later and following a fourth outing from Stallone with Lionsgate taking the mantle from Orion and Tristar, it still appears that our titular walking one-man army still has a few more suckers to bring the receipts to with the impending release of Rambo: Last Blood. Past press reports have all but built a world of hype surrounding this […]

Cobra-640x360.jpeg.jpg

COBRA: Stallone Hypes Hopeful TV Reboot Of His Assailed 1986 Box Office Hit

Lee B. Golden III

Nearly thirty-three years since actor Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra, the action star and actor now wants to develop a television reboot. The actor expressed his interest while on hand at Cannes interviewing with press during his masterclass while promoting his next venture, Rambo: Last Blood. “That (conceit) was what if Bruce Springsteen had a gun? That was rock n’ roll meets drama. That should have been another franchise because that character was so cool. And I blew it. My personal life got in the way. But we’re trying to bring it back as a streaming TV series. Bring out the zombie squad. I’m long gone, but the idea is really good,” said Stallone. Cobra, which centers on the leader of a special unit on a mission to protect a witness from a killer cult, drew ire from critics and huge global box office success. The film continues to be a cult […]

MV5BODMyYmM1YjUtYmJiMi00MTIzLTljNDktYWE4YTY0ODU4NDhhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjMwNDgzNjc@._V1_.jpg

ESCAPE PLAN: THE EXTRACTORS Breaks Out With An Official U.S. Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

The past week or so saw fans hastily taking heed to a leaked European trailer for John Herzfeld’s Escape Plan: The Extractors. It was a fun few minutes but it was worth at least waiting for the official U.S. trailer to arrive, with an official date set for July 2 on Digital 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. Screen legend Sylvester Stallone kicks this explosive action tale into high gear. After security expert Ray Breslin (Stallone) is hired to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Hong Kong tech mogul from a formidable Latvian prison, Breslin’s girlfriend (Jaime King) is also captured. Now he and his team, which includes Dave Bautista and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, must pull off a deadly rescue mission to confront their sadistic foe and save the hostages before time runs out. Five years in and a franchise that surprisingly carried over well for fans, Escape […]

RAMBO: Cannes Announces Sylvester Stallone’s May 24 In-Person Buzz For Final Film, And 4K Screening Of 1982 Original

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Sylvester Stallone is gonna be peppering up Cannes quite a bit starting next week. He already has a remake of upcoming South Korean Don Lee starrer, The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, in his wake, and his 1993 classic hit movie, Cliffhanger, is also under Ana Lily Amirpour’s remake microscope without his involvement. For this, we now turn to news over from Cannes that the celebrated action star is bringing a double dose of Rambo to the 72nd Festival de Cannes, firstly promoting Rambo V: Last Blood with an exclusive first look. And second, to screen the world premiere of a 4K rendering of Ted Kotcheff’s original novel adaptation, Rambo: First Blood. Read on: As he will be present at Cannes, Sylvester Stallone will have the honor of a special screening in the Palais des Festivals on Friday, May 24 at 10:30PM. He will introduce on stage some exclusive […]

THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL

THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL: Don Lee To Star In Sylvester Stallone’s Remake Of The Upcoming Korean Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Serial killer thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil is only a week from its South Korean release with actor Don Lee – billed locally as Ma Dong-Seok – starring in a key role. Nevertheless, that’s not putting the breaks on the film’s prospects anytime soon it seems as word now brings us news of its upcoming remake thanks to Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions and BA Entertainment. According to THR‘s Lee Hyo-won, Stallone will direct the film reinterpreting director Lee Won-Tae’s original which stars Lee as a gangster who, after becoming the sole survivor among a raft of murdered crimebosses, reluctantly pairs up with a dogmatic cop who despises gangsters, to take the serial killer down. BA produced the film starring Lee along with Forgotten star Kim Moo-Yul who plays the cop opposite the titular ‘Devil’ serial killer portrayed by Kim Seong-Gyu. The film lends to actor Lee’s credit having […]

CREED II: If There’s Poetry In Boxing…

SOUTHPAW, written by Kurt Sutter of the successful, long-running show Sons of Anarchy, came out in July of 2015. Ryan Coogler’s CREED, co-written with Aaron Covington, released four months later of the same year. Before seeing either of them, I expected to enjoy Creed but like Southpaw better, aesthetically. I have always been a huge fan of the Rocky series, but I was more recently a fan of Sons, so there, admittedly, was bias filled in my assumption that went beyond my reaction to their inaugural trailers. I was wrong, it turned out. Southpaw, though I loved it and still do, was, well, written by a television writer and felt like it. This is not to say it was bad by any measure, but the emotional beats bordered a bit much on the grandiose. And while this is great for a show with the breathing room of a serial, as […]

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD Will Release On September 20, 2019

Lee B. Golden III

Following his departure from the Rocky films with Creed 2, fans now have a timetable to share with action star Sylvester Stallone for director Adrian Grunberg’s forthcoming franchise finale, Rambo: Last Blood. A September 20 release is now in tow from Lionsgate, and with that, the official logline for the long-awaited fifth and finale entry into the nearly four decade-old action saga about a stoic war hero torn between his resolve as a soldier and a man fighting for his own peace of mind. When the daughter of one of his friends is kidnapped, Rambo (Stallone) — who has been working on a ranch — crosses the U.S.-Mexico border and quickly finds himself up against the full might of one of Mexico’s most violent cartels. Also starring are Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Yvette Monreal from a script by Stallone and screenwriter Matthew Cirulnick. Read more at The Wrap.

Dark Stallone Superhero Pic, SAMARITAN, Lands At MGM

Lee B. Golden III

Well on the way with his final bow as the title role in Rambo: Last Blood, actor Sylvester Stallone of Creed and Creed II fame can now be seen active with what’s being described as a “dark, fresh take on the superhero genre” according to Amanda N’Duka at Deadline. The film? Samaritan, now home at MGM following a bidding war that closed this week. News of the film broke back in October last year with Stallone set to star. The film sits among a raft of forthcoming productions from Stallone’s Balboa banner. Stallone is developing Samaritan along with Braden Afternoon and MGM. Bragi F. Schut, who penned the upcoming Inversion starring Samuel L. Jackson, wrote Samaritan and will exec produce.

BACKTRACE: Don’t Miss The Official New Trailer For Sylvester Stallone’s New Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Just in time to bring the noise with Creed 2, Sylvester Stallone will also stake his claim in select theaters and on VOD with Brian A. Miller’s heist thriller, Backtrace. Lionsgate Premiere has the trailer goods now running online and host to a thriller that sees Matthew Modine steering the wheel in lead fashion and should be a worthy gem before the distro outlet grants Stallone fans its third Escape Plan film. After suffering a brain injury from a bank heist gone wrong, MacDonald (Matthew Modine) develops amnesia and is put into a prison psychiatric ward. Following his seventh year in evaluation, he is coerced by an inmate and a ward doctor (Ryan Guzman and Meadow Williams) to break out of prison and injected with a serum that forces him to relive the life he’s forgotten. MacDonald must now elude a local detective (Sylvester Stallone), a toughened FBI agent (Christopher […]

CREED 2 Sees Fateful Rivalry Between Sons In The Official New Trailer For The ‘Rocky’ Saga

Lee B. Golden III

In the wake of one of the most applauded franchises and its rousing 2016 spin-off, it wasn’t enough for there to be just a Creed 2 in this day and age. Such a franchise dare not forget the explosive chapter that unfolded 33 years ago when Rocky IV sought to serve as the page-turning social commentary relevant for its time. It also offset a key precursor in inaugrating the events that preset Ryan Coogler’s spin-off to its own acclaim with actor Michael B. Jordan succeeding the narrative for a new generation of moviegoers. That succession continues with Stephen Caple Jr. at the helm for a new round of compelling drama dedicating to rip open new wounds by way of old scars… Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing […]

CREED 2 Trailer: “This Is More Than Just A Fight…”

Lee B. Golden III

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone are back for another page turner building from the emotional and compelling Rocky saga with director Stephen Caple Jr.’s Creed 2 following the hit 2015. Yesterday’s teaser poster reveal got the wheels turning this week and thus, first official trailer is now out ahead of a November 21 release. Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first […]

Jack Johnson Biopic To Serve As Launchpad For New Stallone Film And TV Banner

Lee B. Golden III

The life and legend of late boxer Jack Johnson is heading to the big screen according to the trades this week. The project is being set up at MGM with the launch of Balboa Productions with actor Sylvester Stallone shepherding the project with Hell Or High Water and Wind River executive producer Braden Aftergood. The legendary boxer’s story became synonymous with racial injustice in America at the height of the Jim Crow era, wherein 1910, he was arrested, convicted of violating the Mann Act and served ten months in prison for transporting a white woman, with whom he was in a relationship, across state lines. Led by Stallone and campaigned as well by Senators John McCain and Ken Burns, Johnson, a heavyweight boxing champion from 1908 to 1915, was long the center of a push toward a hopeful presidential pardon that came last week. Johnson passed away in 1946. […]

ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES Welcomes You To The Zoo In The Official Trailer!

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re sitting here and wondering just why in the name of all that is pure and true is Escape Plan 2: Hades, headed to the ancillary market instead of theaters, you’re definitely not alone. Indeed it’s happening though, gladly as one of two forthcoming sequels following the 2013 hit film starring A-listers, returning actor Sylvester Stallone and trilogy newcomer Bautista. Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) manages an elite team of security specialists trained in the art of breaking people out of the world’s most impenetrable prisons. When his most trusted operative, Shu Ren, is kidnapped and disappears inside the most elaborate prison ever built, entirely computerized and constantly changing shape, Ray must track him down with the help of some of his former friends. Steven C. Miller directs with a cast that rounds out with Jamie King, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Jesse Metcalf, Huang Xiaoming and Wes Chatham for a […]

Sylvester Stallone Will Return In RAMBO V…Yes, Really!

Lee B. Golden III

Lionsgate/TWC …And just like that, it’s 2014 all over again. Only this time it appears to, at least, finally be official at a corporate level, and in lieu of Cannes, no less. Jeremy Kay is at Screen International reporting that action star, actor Sylvester Stallone is set to commense principal photography this Fall on the long-teased and anticipated installment of a fifth Rambo film. The news comes four years after progress was made for a 2014 start which followed up with more stagnation, and eventually word of an impasse in 2017 between Stallone and producer Avi Lener regarding the actor’s wish to produce a fourth Expendables film. Stallone appeared to have stepped away from the Rambo franchise entirely back in 2016, in a report at Variety in which he is quoted saying: “The heart’s willing, but the body says, ‘Stay home!,’… “It’s like fighters that go back for one last round […]