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James Cameron is synonymous with the action genre, much like popcorn complements salt. While he has been involved in numerous iconic franchises, many film enthusiasts overlook his contribution to the screenplay of 1985’s “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” the high-octane follow-up to one of Sylvester Stallone’s most memorable films.
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The original concept for “Rambo: First Blood Part II” was crafted by Kevin Jarre, but the screenplay is attributed to both Cameron and Stallone. Cameron recalls only a single meeting with Stallone to discuss the script. As he told The Los Angeles Times in 1991, Cameron expressed pride in the film’s success but distanced himself from the final product, noting that Stallone significantly altered his original script. “The version I wrote was intense but not as morally ambiguous,” Cameron explained (via Terminator Files).
Cameron candidly admitted that financial motivation played a role in his decision to write the script. At that time, he was also working on “The Terminator” and “Aliens,” two films that would define his career. Taking on a project like a Stallone sequel helped fund his burgeoning career. Moreover, Cameron wasn’t adverse to the project, as he was a fan of 1982’s “First Blood” and believed in exploring new dimensions of the Rambo saga.
During the production of “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” Cameron was an emerging talent, whereas Stallone wielded significant influence, dictating the direction of the “Rambo” series with little resistance. Stallone was not just acting in films but establishing his own cinematic brand.
It’s widely speculated that Stallone not only reshaped the screenplay but also steered the film’s direction. Officially, George P. Cosmatos is credited as the director of “Rambo: First Blood Part II.” However, there are claims that Cosmatos served primarily as a figurehead, with Stallone essentially at the helm. Considering Cosmatos’s limited recognition in Hollywood at the time and Stallone’s proven directorial skills in “Rocky II” and “Nighthawks,” these theories are not entirely unfounded.
Sylvester Stallone may have secretly directed Rambo: First Blood Part II himself
TriStar Pictures
In contrast to James Cameron’s budding career at the time “Rambo: First Blood Part II” was being made, Sylvester Stallone had the clout to do just about anything, laying down the law for the “Rambo” movies with few to oppose him. He wasn’t starring in other people’s films; instead, they were in the Sylvester Stallone business.
There’s a longstanding belief that the action superstar didn’t only have a major influence over the script, but also the direction of the sequel. Italian filmmaker George P. Cosmatos is the credited director of “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” but many believe he was only a figurehead and that Stallone actually directed the movie. After all, Cosmatos wasn’t a well-known Hollywood director, and Stallone had already proven his talent behind the camera with “Rocky II” and “Nighthawks.”
It would be Kurt Russell of all people who would reveal Cosmatos’ real role in “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” having worked with him in a similar capacity for 1993’s “Tombstone.” “I got him from Sly Stallone — called up Sly, said I need a guy,” Russell told True West. “Sly did the same thing with ‘Rambo 2’ with George. And I said to George, ‘While you’re alive George, I won’t say a goddamn thing.’” Essentially, Russell hired Cosmatos as a ghost director — like Stallone had done years before.
