Rambo 6: New Blood – First Trailer | Sylvester Stallone, Jon Bernthal

While Stallone has said he’s hanging up the franchise there’s still speculation about Rambo 6, especially since the actor has a history of returning to character’s he’s previously called time on (including Rambo himself). After debuting in 1982’s First Blood (based on the 1972 novel by David Morrell), Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo became one of the most iconic action heroes of the 1980s. After 1988’s Rambo III the franchise was thought done — that is until Stallone brought back Rambo in 2008, and once more over a decade later in 2019’S Rambo: Last Blood.

With the Rambo franchise returning from death not once, but twice, it’s clear to see why questions around Rambo 6 are still being sent Stallone’s way. With Stallone’s other iconic characters such as Rocky Balboa and The Expendable’s Barney Ross also making many appearances beyond their supposed last, many diehard fans are holding out hope that Last Blood’s title wasn’t accurate. While the chances of a Rambo 6 release date announcement soon are incredibly unlikely there have still been some ideas about the sequel touted since Rambo: Last Blood, and John Rambo returning (whether played by Stallone or not) is far from impossible.

The Most Recent Rambo 6 News

The most recent Rambo 6 news came from Sylvester Stallone, and the veteran actor once again made it clear that he’s currently got no intentions of revisiting the franchise. In an interview from the Toronto International Film Festival released via the JoBlo.com Facebook page, Stallone fielded a question on Rambo 6 and bluntly made it clear that he was truly done playing John Rambo.

As clear from the interview, Stallone is fully aware that there’s still demand for Rambo 6. However, in a rather humorous appraisal of the situation, the 77-year-old Stallone cites his age as one of the key reasons he’s not keen on playing Rambo again. “Rambo, I could leave him. He’s done pretty much,” Stallone explained, “even though they want to do another one, but what am I fighting? Arthritis?”

Rambo 6 Isn’t Confirmed

Rambo 6 isn’t confirmed, and there are currently no plans to greenlight a sequel to 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood. Since Sylvester Stallone doesn’t seem to want to press ahead with a new Rambo movie the 6th franchise installment may only be able to move forward as a reboot or remake with another actor in the lead — unless Stallone changes his mind, of course.

Rambo 6 Cast

There’s one key question when it comes to the cast of Rambo 6, and that’s if Sylvester Stallone will return to play John Rambo for one (probably) last time. Given the actors comments, it’s currently looking unlikely. This means John Rambo would need to be recast, but there haven’t been any discussions about the next John Rambo yet.

There are many contemporary action movie stars who could probably fill the role, though it would of course be a different take on the character than Stallone (similarly to the various James Bond actors throughout the decades). While it’s purely speculative of course, there’s little reason in theory that an actor like John Cena, Reacher’s Alan Ritchson, or even a left-field choice like Henry Cavill couldn’t step into Stallone’s shoes for a reimagined Rambo 6.

Rambo 6 Story

There are two directions the Rambo 6 plot could take. It could be set after Rambo: Last Blood and see Rambo drift into a new situation, echoing the story of the original First Blood, or it could be a prequel focusing on Rambo’s time in Vietnam. Stallone himself had expressed interest in a Rambo prequel before, showcasing the transformation of the character from an all-American golden boy to a broken warrior. Another route Rambo 6 could take is reviving the cancelled version of Rambo 5 developed by Stallone and First Blood author David Morrell.

Realistically, the most likely plot direction for Rambo 6 is a reboot of the franchise. Stallone appears to be done with the character, but audiences aren’t. There’s still demand for more John Rambo adventures. While Stallone’s performance is what made the role so iconic, many action franchises have proven that they can survive a cast change of similar magnitudes. Multiple actors have played Tom Clancy character Jack Ryan, for example, and each has brought their own spin on the role. There’s no reason the story of John Rambo can’t be retold similarly should Stallone make good on his decision not to return for Rambo 6.