Rambo: Last Blood

Rambo: Last Blood (also known as Rambo V and Rambo V: Last Blood  ) is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by Adrian Grunberg and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, who also reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. A sequel to Rambo (2008) and the fifth installment in the Rambo franchise, it co-stars Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim, Joaquín Cosío, and Oscar Jaenada. In the film, Rambo travels to Mexico to save a friend's daughter who has been kidnapped by the Mexican cartel.

Plans for a fifth film were announced on and off again since 2008, with different iterations developed and cancelled until production finally began in October 2018, with Grunberg directing the film. Principal photography began in October 2018 in Bulgaria, and ended in December 2018. Rambo: Last Blood is scheduled to be released on September 20, 2019.

Premise
John Rambo travels to Mexico to save a friend's daughter who has been kidnapped by the Mexican cartel.

Cast
A Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran who journeys to Mexico to rescue a friend's daughter from a Mexican cartel. A reporter covering the drug trade in Mexico. She aids Rambo after her younger half-sister is kidnapped by a Mexican cartel. Leader of a Mexican cartel who is known for his violent personality. She has been described as someone who is "like a sister" to Rambo and has worked on Rambo's father's farm all her life. A young girl kidnapped by a Mexican cartel.
 * Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo:
 * Paz Vega as Carmen Delgado:
 * Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Hugo Martinez:
 * Adriana Barraza as Maria Beltran:
 * Yvette Monreal as Gabrielle:
 * Genie Kim aka Yenah Han
 * Joaquín Cosío
 * Óscar Jaenada as Victor Martinez
 * Louis Mandylor as Sheriff
 * Sheila Shah as Alejandra
 * Dimitri Vegas

Development
In February 2008, Sylvester Stallone revealed that making a fifth film would depend on the success of the fourth film, stating he was "gearing one up" and that it would "be quite different". In March 2008, Stallone revealed he was "half-way through" writing Rambo V, stating that it would not be another war movie, with Bulgaria being considered to double as Rambo's home in Arizona. In February 2009, Stallone revealed that he's proceeding with the fifth film but stated, "the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country".

In August 2009, Millennium Films green-lit the film with Stallone writing, directing and starring. At that time, the plot focused on Rambo battling human traffickers and drug lords to rescue a young girl abducted near the U.S.–Mexico border. In September 2009, Stallone revealed that the film would be titled Rambo V: The Savage Hunt. The film would have been loosely based on Hunter by James Byron Huggins and would have focused on Rambo leading an elite special forces kill team to hunt and kill a genetically engineered creature. Nu Image/Millennium Films released a poster and synopsis for The Savage Hunt. In November 2009, it was reported that the plot had reverted to Rambo crossing the Mexican border to rescue a girl who had been kidnapped.

In May 2010, Stallone revealed he was "done" with the character, stating, "I think Rambo’s pretty well done. I don’t think there’ll be any more. I’m about 99% sure, I was going to do it... but I feel that with Rocky Balboa, that character came complete circle. He went home. But for Rambo to go on another adventure might be, I think, misinterpreted as a mercenary gesture and not necessary. I don’t want that to happen." At the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Millennium Films and Nu Image advertised Rambo V with posters and handouts. Following an interview with Stallone for Ain't It Cool News, in which the director expressed his desire to end the franchise, Harry Knowles reported that, "He then told me that the folks behind those posters essentially said that if Sly didn't do it - someone else would. And Sly seems fine with that."

In 2011, Sean Hood was hired to write a new script titled Rambo: Last Stand that Hood described as "more in line with the small-town thriller of First Blood. In 2012, Hood revealed that Rambo V had been put on hold in order for Stallone to finish The Expendables 2. Hood also revealed his uncertainty whether the film would be similar to Unforgiven or a passing-of-the-torch. In August 2013, it was announced that Entertainment One and Nu Image would develop and produce a Rambo TV series with Stallone. In June 2014, German film company Splendid Films confirmed that Stallone had started writing the script for Rambo V, with Stallone describing it as his version of No Country for Old Men. In September 2014, it was revealed that the film would be titled Rambo: Last Blood, with Stallone directing.

In 2015, Stallone and Rambo creator David Morrell re-developed the story for Rambo V. Stallone wanted a "soulful journey" for the character that Morrell described as a "really emotional, powerful story". Stallone pitched the idea to the producers, but they wanted to proceed with the human trafficking story instead, abandoning Stallone and Morrell's idea. In October 2015, Stallone pondered on the possibility of a prequel, stating, "It's intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how people have become what they are. The traumas, the loss and the tragedy of being in Vietnam would certainly be a great challenge for a young actor, and it would be ironic that Rambo directs younger Rambo having played it for twenty years plus". In 2016, Sylvester Stallone revealed that Rambo V was no longer in production.

Pre-production
In May 2018, Rambo: Last Blood was re-announced and was scheduled to begin filming in September, with the plot focusing on Rambo taking on a Mexican drug cartel. Stallone was confirmed to be co-writing the script with Matt Cirulnick, but seemed unlikely to direct. That same month, Stallone confirmed that the film is scheduled for a fall 2019 release. In August 2018, Adrian Grunberg was announced as the director. In September 2018, Adriana Barraza was added to the cast as Maria. In October 2018, Paz Vega, Yvette Monreal, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Oscar Jaenada, and Joaquín Cosío were cast in the film. In May 2019, Louis Mandylor, Sheila Shah, Dimitri Vegas, and Genie Kim (aka Yenah Han) were revealed to have been cast without prior announcement.

Filming
Principal photography began on October 2, 2018 in Bulgaria. It was previously scheduled to begin on September 1, 2018, and before that on October 27, 2014, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Barraza filmed her scenes in Tenerife (Canary Islands). Principal photography was completed on December 4, 2018. Additional photography took place at the end of May 2019.

Music
In July 2019, Brian Tyler confirmed he will return to compose the film's score.

Marketing
In May 2018, Millennium Films brought the project to Cannes to generate interest and sales. Stallone verified that he would share images and videos from the film's set on his Instagram as the film approaches its release. In February 2019, Stallone revealed images on his Instagram of Rambo's adopted family, combat history, and the character Gabrielle's intentions to travel to Mexico to find her father. In March 2019, Stallone revealed via his Instagram an image of Rambo covered in blood and aiming his signature bow. In May 2019, it was revealed that Stallone will present exclusive images at Cannes to coincide with a special "first-look" screening of the film at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on May 24, 2019. The first trailer was revealed at Cannes on May 24, 2019. The teaser trailer was released on May 30, 2019 and drew comparisons to Logan and Unforgiven. On August 1, 2019, Stallone revealed the theatrical release poster on his Instagram.

Theatrical
Rambo: Last Blood is scheduled to be released on September 20, 2019. Dadi purchased the Chinese distribution rights and agreed to an eight-figure co-financing deal. On July 30, 2019, the MPAA awarded the film an R-rating.

Future
During Cannes 2019, Stallone said he would continue portraying Rambo if the fifth film succeeds. Grunberg, however, said that Last Blood "closes the circle", hoping it would conclude the franchise.