Sylvester Stallone divides Rambo fans with choice to replace him

Sylvester Stallone wants Ryan Gosling to play Rambo if the iconic characters ever gets recast, and fans have mixed feelings about his choice.

John Rambo was one of the most popular movie characters of the 1980s. The protagonist of David Morrell’s 1972 anti-war novel First Blood, Rambo is a former American soldier who turns his anger on the United States.

Sylvester Stallone starred in the successful 1982 adaptation of the book, and the even more successful 1985 sequel Rambo: First Blood Part II. Rambo III hit screens in 1988 and was an almighty flop. While Stallone also starred in belated follow-ups Rambo (2008) and Rambo: Last Blood (2019).

But Stallone is pretty long in the tooth these days, meaning talk has turned to a younger actor potentially playing the character. And Sly’s choice has surprised some fans…

Sylvester Stallone divides Rambo fans with choice to replace him

After a conversation about how Ken in the Barbie movie stole Stallone’s look – see below for that – talk-show host Jimmy Fallon asks Sly if it’s true that he’d like to see Ryan Gosling play Rambo.

“Yeah,” comes the response. “I’ll tell you why – I met him at a dinner and obviously we’re opposites – he’s good-looking and I’m not. That’s how it works. Could you imagine me as Ken? It doesn’t work as all.

“But he goes, ‘I was always fascinated with Rambo and I used to go to school dressed as Rambo and people chased me away and I still didn’t stop, and I vacationed as Rambo.’ He kept saying that he had a lot of affiliation with Rambo. I thought ‘this is interesting – if I ever pass the baton, I’ll pass it onto him,’ because he loves the character.”

Rambo fans have been divided by the left-field choice. Some have been for it, with one tweeting – in reference to Drive – “He played that car guy role perfectly. I think he has the range to do Rambo.” While another posts: “Would be fire” underneath a photo of Gosling standing in front of fire.

A third writes: “Y’all seem to be forgetting Rambo has heart, that’s what sets him apart from some of the other action heroes of his era. Gosling can definitely bring heart to this role. The rest is just getting buff.”

As for the naysayers, one Tweets: “Jake Gyllenhaal would he a better pick and I’m a total Gosling fan boy.” While another posts their own picks: “How? With all respect to Ryan Gosling. I can’t see Rambo character fit with Ryan. I can say Henry Cavill or Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth or Mark Wahlberg.”