In the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone became synonymous with the Rocky movies. Both the first film in 1976 and its sequel in 1978 cemented the underdog boxer as an iconic character, endearing the actor to millions around the globe. Rocky III in 1982 further proved his drawing power, as the film grossed $270 million at the box office against a budget of $17 million. However, that same year, Stallone started a new cinematic legacy that has stood the test of time, and it’s finally found a new streaming home.
Per Paramount+, First Blood hits the streaming service today, Jan. 1, giving fans a chance to relive the origins of John Rambo, the disenfranchised Vietnam War vet who returns home only to be further traumatized by a small-town sheriff. Based on the excellent 1972 novel by author David Morrell, First Blood helped kick off Stallone’s career as a bona fide action star, and was a smash hit with audiences. It held the number one spot at the box office here in the United States for three weeks in a row, ultimately earning more than $125 million dollars, which – in 1982 – was a good chunk of change.
Related
Why Sylvester Stallone Hated the Movie that Made Him an Action Star
Immediately regretting signing on to the film, Stallone deemed the dialogue goofy, the pacing glacial, and the climax flat and nihilistic.
First Blood was bolstered by a wonderful performance from Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle, the film’s antagonist who helps organize a manhunt for Rambo when the war veteran breaks free from police custody after being unlawfully detained. Adding further gravitas to the movie was Richard Crenna as Colonel Samuel R. “Sam” Trautman, the former mentor and commanding officer of Rambo who eventually convinces him to surrender after wrecking all kinds of havoc in the fictional town of Hope, Washington.
‘Rambo’ Almost Never Became a Franchise
Now with a total of five movies in the series, the Rambo franchise that began in 1982 has become a worldwide sensation that’s earned more than $800 million dollars at the box office. We’ve seen Stallone’s character travel to the likes of Afghanistan and Thailand, and even Mexico in the latest outing – 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood. However, had the first film been made with its original script, First Blood would have been a one-off, and we wouldn’t have the saga we have today.
The ending to Morrell’s novel has Rambo accidentally shooting Sheriff Teasle, and then Trautman shooting his former protégé, killing him. Lawrence Turman at Columbia Pictures bought the rights to the book, and intended to start filming in December 1972. The original script deviated slightly from the novel, but still had Rambo being killed by an unknown assailant.
Thankfully, that version never happened, and by the time the project reached Stallone, the actor had enough power behind him that he helped rewrite the script, changing things around so that Rambo survived. The result, of course, was the birth of an entire series that many still hold up as one of the best action franchises of all-time. If you’ve yet to see it, be sure to check out First Blood streaming now on Paramount+, and its four sequels available on all VOD platforms.
