Since we broke the story of Sly’s e-mail to the StalloneZone about changing the direction of the next “Rambo” movie and the potential for Hunter to be made, several sites picked up the story and ran with it:

• AICN: Stallone Says Rambo is No Longer Rambo vs that Horrible Monster Guy
• Movie Web: “Rambo V: A Savage Hunt Changes Direction”
• ScreenRant: “Is ‘Rambo 5′ Heading Back to Mexico?”
• Empire Movies: “Rambo V Changes Again”
• SlashFilm: Sylvester Stallone Updates on Rambo 5, Saves Monster Plot for Unrelated Film
• Icon vs Icon: Sylvester Stallone Issues ‘Rambo V’ Update
• WorstPreviews: Sylvester Stallone Changes “Rambo 5″ Storyline
• Screencave: Rambo 5 Won’t Be Man vs Beast
• Coming Soon: Rambo V Changes Direction
• JoBlo.com: Rambo 5 Update
• Greek Tyrant: Change in Direction of Rambo 5
• IndieMoviesOnLine: John Rambo No Longer Has Monster Problem
• The Press Association: Stallone Ditches Sci-Fi Plans
• CinemaBlend: Stallone Flips the Script on Rambo 5
• Hollywood.com: Is John Rambo Heading to Juarez?
• Collider.com: Rambo V Goes Hunting in a New Direction…
• Digital Spy: Stallone’s “Rambo 5″ Loses Sci-Fi Twist
• CinemaSpy: So Just What Will Stallone’s ‘Rambo 5′ Be About?
• MTV Movies Blog: “Rambo” Folow-Up Changes Direction…

Hey SZoners - I just received an e-mail from Sly for all SZoners:

From Sly

Hi Craig,

This is from Sly to your followers:

To all the loyal SZoners out there,

I’m letting you know that Rambo has changed course and the story about hunting the man/beast will be done using another character in the lead. RAMBO himself will be heading over the border to a violent city where many young women have vanished .

There will be blood.

Best,
Sly Stallone

This is great news since it means that we should get two Stallone movies - a new “Rambo” [back to the concept everyone seemed to dig] and what sounds like “Hunter” based on the novel written specifically for Sly by James Byron Huggins.  It’s no secret that I and many SZoners have been hoping that Sly would adapt the novel for the big screen. - Craig

On November 4, 2009, Clint Morris did a report on the American Film Market for Moviehole.com.  At this event companies try to get distribution deals for their films.  One of the films marketed was “Rambo V: The Savage Hunt”.  Here’s what was said:

Rambo 5 - Nu Image/Millennium Films will be selling shares in the latest bullet-in-the-abdomen commercial. The flyer says the Sylvester Stallone is now in pre-production, which means it’ll be the big guy’s next film. I’m assuming Lionsgate have the U.S rights in the bag - since they released “Rambo” - but I’m not certain. Either way, if you represent a Croatian distributor, and know there’s an audience out there who’d kill to see another protein shake advert headlined by a 65-year-old mass of mutton, then pull up a seat…. Avi Lerner has a number he wants to show you.

One suggestion, I would change the title to simply “Rambo: The Savage Hunt”.

++++++++++

On November 6, 2009, Movieline.com posted an article by Mark Lisanti about the American Film Market and “Ten Modestly Budgeted Mindblowing Films to Watch”.  “Rambo V: The Savage Hunt” was listed first under the subheading :“The Big One”.  Here’s what was said:

2008’s surprisingly excellent Rambo (and by “surprisingly excellent,” we mean “so incredibly ultramegaviolent that the entire theater whooped with delight each time an evil Burmese soldier was sheared in half by machine-gun fire”) left many unanswered questions: How will our mom-jeans-wearing hero readjust to life in an ass-hugging, boot-cut world? Can Stallone improve upon his frenetic 2.59 kills-per-minutes pace? Will a back-to-basics Rambo abandon high-powered weaponry in favor of eviscerating each foe with his bare hands, jamming his meaty, battle-hardened paws into the soft bellies of his enemies and withdrawing steaming handfuls of wriggling, soupy guts? We may finally get those answers, and sooner rather than later. (More on the actual plot here, for those who aren’t content to let their imaginations run wild.)

On November 3, 2009, MGM Home Entertainment will release ROCKY: The Undisputed Collection Blu-ray Box Set, comprising all six films in the “Rocky” series. The set is presented on seven discs, which includes a “Rocky Anthology” documentary disc, and other bonus features which you can read about here.  You can even pre-order it here.

There’s a touching little article at CaliforniaChronicle.com that ran on August 24, 2009.  It concerns a poor little hamlet in Serbia where the town folk decided to erect a statue of Rocky Balboa in tribute to the ultimate underdog. 

Film maker Barry Avrich went to the village and planned to make a “Borat”-style documentary making fun of the whole thing.  However, once he arrived he was moved by how sincere the villagers were.   The statue was made of cement because they couldn’t afford bronze.  Avrich’s film took a whole new direction.  He was even able to interview Sylvester Stallone who in turn was so moved by the villagers that he taped a special message that played for the huge crowds that turned out during the three day celebration leading up to the unveiling of the statue.  Barry Avrich’s documentary, “American Idol” is now on the festival circuit and has qualified for the Oscars.

To read the full article, click here.

The HDRoom.com has announced that on November 3rd, a seven disc collection of all of the “Rocky” movies will be released on Blu-ray.  Amazon.com has the collection listed at 30% off for pre-orders.  Hopefully this will be the definitve collection that all fans have requested.  As more information on the extras becomes available, we’ll post the information.

“Rocky Balboa” made the list of the TOP 15 FILMS of the NEW MILLENNIUM over at the Big Hollwood site.  Here’s what they had to say about “Rocky Balboa”:

“Rocky Balboa” might not be better written, photographed or acted than any number of films not on this list, but I’m going to watch it a helluva lot more, that’s for sure.   Who would have ever thought writer/director Sylvester Stallone could pull this off? But he did. And I love it more each time I see it.

I couldn’t agree more.  You can see the entire list by clicking here.

SZoner, Edinho Maga, the fantastic sculptor who created this Rambo statute, sent in these great photos.  Edinho presented Sly with a Rambo statue as well as Edinho’s Rocky statue.  Although the Rocky piece has not been licensed, Edinho does have a few copies available for $250 plus shipping.

On June 27, 2009, Christopher Crespo at the Orlando Movie Examiner posted an article titled “Why Rocky Balboa Works Where the Other Rocky Sequels Failed”.  Crespo actually has some good things to say about “Rocky II” and “Rocky III” but focuses his attention on how “Rocky Balboa” (like the original “Rocky”) mirrors what was happening in Sly’s life and “Stallone (didn’t) pretend things (were) different from what they (were).” You can read the full piece by clicking here.

Antonio Tarver, who played Mason Dixon in “Rocky Balboa”, has filed a lawsuit against  Rogue Marble Productions [Sly's company], Columbia Pictures Industries, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Revolution Studios Distribution Co. with the claim that he has not been paid $1.5 million in bonuses owed him.  It is Tarver’s contention that he is owed six bonuses based upon the movie’s gross of a reported $191 million dollars.

Sly’s attorney, Marty Singer, counters that Antonio Tarver is not owed any money.  Singer explained to TMZ:

“On the first day of principal photography of ‘Rocky Balboa,’ Antonio Tarver, who had already reached an agreement for his appearance in the movie, refused to appear unless he received a back-end deal. He knew that if the production company did not cave in to his demands and give him a back-end deal, the motion picture would have to be shut down.

As such, Mr. Tarver received notice a few weeks ago that he had engaged in duress, among other claims, and that he had no right to receive any back-end on the motion picture due to his alleged duress.”

For more on this lawsuit check out:

• Courthouse News Service
• EURweb