The acclaimed director has pitched his remake idea

A classic action film, which Quentin Tarantino reportedly wanted to remake, will be aired for free tonight.

The 1982 hit, Rambo: First Blood, is set to be broadcast on ITV4 at 11pm this Saturday (February 1). For those who can’t catch the live airing, it’s also available to stream on Amazon Prime for subscribers.

Initially titled First Blood, the name Rambo was later prefixed as the franchise gained popularity. It is a loose adaptation of David Morrell’s novel of the same name.

Sylvester Stallone stars as John Rambo, an ex-Green Beret haunted by Vietnam memories and struggling to find his footing in life. Once a perfect killing machine, he now seeks inner peace but instead encounters a small-town sheriff itching for a fight. Chaos ensues when Rambo, unjustly imprisoned, escapes and becomes the target of a massive manhunt, forcing him to utilise all his survival skills.

First Blood was a pivotal film in establishing Sylvester Stallone as an action hero, who until then was primarily recognised for his leading role in the initial three Rocky films. Despite having starred in several other movies like Nighthawks, Paradise Alley and Escape To Victory, none of these were box office successes, reports Surrey Live.

In contrast, First Blood raked in over $125 million. The film’s success, despite significant alterations to the original material, led to four sequels, with the most recent one, Last Blood, released in 2019.

Even after more than four decades, the film continues to be highly appreciated by fans. One fan shared online: “One of the all time great action movies. Stallone’s best movie.” Another chimed in: “Rambo: First blood is damn near perfect. Stallone is one of the only actors to lead two great franchises.”

Another fan pointed out what sets this film apart from contemporary Hollywood action flicks: “Timeless movie with Stallone at his best along with a fantastic support cast. First Blood has a rawness to it, similar to Deliverance, which makes the violence more acceptable. The violence however is not overdone nor out of place as the violence of war is brought home and released upon ignorant, non understanding civvies. Possibly Stallone’s best role before the story of John Rambo became the thing of overbudgeted Hollywood.”

In an era where remakes and reboots are all the rage, it’s hardly shocking that First Blood is linked with a fresh take. Even the legendary Quentin Tarantino has talked up the possibility.

As fans eagerly await news on what might be his last directorial work, Tarantino stirred up quite the buzz in 2021 when he floated a concept for a Rambo reimagining. During his chat on The Big Picture podcast, Tarantino mused that if his goal was ‘to make a good movie’, he’d opt for a more authentic rendition of Morrell’s novel.

He even hinted at potential casting choices, suggesting: “Kurt Russell would play the sheriff, and Adam Driver would play Rambo. Every time I read it (the book), the dialogue is so fantastic in the David Morrell novel that you’re reading it out loud. It would be so good. But now I want to do more than that. But if it was just about to make a good movie, that’s out there.”

Rambo: First Blood is on ITV4 at 11pm on Saturday, February 1 and streaming on Amazon Prime.