Testosterone Explosion! Stallone back for Rambo 5 and teaming up with the Governator for movie "The Tomb"

Hey you know what they say, action stars don't age they just don't ever go away. While the former is patently false, the latter is definitely true and two of the biggest 80s and 90s action stars, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger are about to roll out with more explosion laden guy movies than the late Kim Jong Il's DVD collection.*

Just over half a year ago I'd reported that Sean Hood (Conan the Barbarian) wrote a script called Rambo: The Last Stand that he was trying to pitch to Stallone. The project itself was placed on hold and many doubted it would even come to fruition. Quite honestly I wasn't sure I wanted to see another Rambo as the last film seemed like an appropriate ending, ala Rocky Balboa.

Apparently my opinion doesn't matter. Hood posted on Twitter (which is of course always accurate, just ask Rob Lowe) that "Rambo 5 on hold as Sly finishes Expendables 2 He hasn't decided if R5 will be an "Unforgiven" or a "passing of the torch." Two points here. I would rather not see a "passing of the torch" because Stallone is Rambo. Period. It'd be like recasting Indiana Jones. Secondly, I think the "Unforgiven" angle might be a good idea. The last time we saw Rambo on screen he returned home to the US to be with his father. A Rambo film within the United States might actually be a good thing. The first film was set in the U.S.A. so this might bring it full circle.

And if the concept of another Rambo wasn't enough to get your adrenaline flowing, Sly will also be teaming up with Ah-nold in the upcoming film The Tomb after Expendables 2 has wrapped.

Here is a brief synopsis:

THE TOMB follows Ray Breslin (Stallone) who is the world’s foremost authority on structural security. He’s analyzed every high security prison and has gained a vast array of survival skills. But all Ray’s ingenuity and knowledge are about to be put to work in the most challenging test he's ever faced: escaping from the master prison of his own design.
Schwarzenegger, in the role of Church, plays a complex inmate with multiple shades of grey. He’s the guy who fights to keep the prisoners from losing their humanity in their darkest hour as they struggle together to stay alive.

While Miles Chapman originally wrote the script, Jason Keller has since re-written the script. Mikael Hafstrom is also set to direct.

As intriguing as this plot sounds I already see a few issues. Does anyone really think Arnie can pull off "a complex inmate with multiple shades of grey"? Let's be honest, most of Arnold's past characters have been about as psychological deep as a kiddie pool. Detective John Kimble from Kindergarten Cop wasn't exactly Hannibal Lecter. This seems like a role more suited for Liam Neeson. Secondly, anytime someone has to "re-write" a script completely I get the willies. It usually means that either the script sucked to begin with or it wasn't as audience friendly as the studio wanted it to be. Either one is a huge problem. Last I'm not really sold on Hafstrom as a director. His previous credits include 1408 and The Rite, not exactly box office powerhouses.

The Tomb starts shooting later this Spring and Rambo hopefully in late fall.

*Kim Jong Il reportedly had a DVD collection numbering over 5,000. I'm thinking Team America: World Police was probably not a part of it though.