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News
Sylvester Stallone Wants White Collar Death Wish
Sly offers his take on remaking the Charles Bronson classic.
by Fred Topel | January 11, 2008
Discuss Article
Sylvester Stallone has brought back his two beloved franchises, Rockyand Rambo. Now he's working on someone else's. However, his idea for a Death Wish remake is to tackle the sort of corporate criminals that Charles Bronson never imagined.

"I think Death Wish, if it were done today, would be volcanic," said Stallone. "The idea of Jeff Goldblum being a mugger who breaks into an apartment is very simplistic. It gives you an idea how bad the elevation of violence has become. I would focus on defense attorneys, I would focus on [the people] allowing this crap to happen, not so much the guy on the street. It's like, who permits it? What if it happened to you, that your daughter was grabbed and her eyes were put out? Would you want to sit there and defend that guy? So there's moral questions here that are being presented that have not been answered in 30 years."

A vigilante character Stallone would play would not be the frustrated pacifist that Bronson was either. "I'll give you a little hint. He was a very violent human being, completely violent, an ex-convict who walked the walk, was accepted back into society and did everything he could to be a [good person]. Like these thieves and junkies who now work on the side of the law, they've gone that way, but when something happens he reverts back to that guy."

That sounds more like a kick ass Stallone type of guy. "So now you've unleashed a man who really understands the world of violence. He isn't burdened with this passive-aggressive, conscientious-objector kind of thing. That's been done. It's like what happens when the wolf has gone from wolf to wolf in sheep's clothing back to the wolf. Now the fellow on the street has a problem because he knows how to deal with that kind of mentality because he was a prisoner. So it would be a different take."


Related Items
Movie: Rambo
Celeb: Charles Bronson
Jeff Goldblum
Sylvester Stallone
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Comments (1-20 of 41 posts) | Reply
thereign
thereign writes:
on Jan 11 2008 10:15 PM

Oh my god, Stallone is mentally defective.

(Reply to this)
Sadistik
Sadistik writes:
on Jan 11 2008 10:18 PM

Sounds like Rambo Takes The Supreme Court

(Reply to this)
Koooomar
Koooomar writes:
on Jan 11 2008 10:38 PM

It sounds completely Ape****...and i can't wait to see it.

(Reply to this)
Ruckas356
Ruckas356 writes:
on Jan 11 2008 10:59 PM

wasnt this already posted like two days ago!

(Reply to this)
quigonjim1
quigonjim1 writes:
on Jan 11 2008 11:37 PM

Hate to say it, but it sounds like a good idea. Thank God he is not going to try to be Paul Kersey. I'll see it. I'd like to see some crooked lawyers and judges get blasted. So much for a pleabargain.

(Reply to this)
kissman24
kissman24 writes:
on Jan 12 2008 12:18 AM

I don't know what he's saying, but I'm on board if it means that Stallone is kicking lots of asses.

(Reply to this)
Floor Man
Floor Man writes:
on Jan 12 2008 12:38 AM

I...don't know what to think about this...and I mean that in the most respectful, confused sort of way. At least he's a film-maker who knows what direction he wants to take.

(Reply to this)
Socratores
Socratores writes:
on Jan 12 2008 01:20 AM

Get Carter anybody???

(Reply to this)
Oblivioncry
Oblivioncry writes:
on Jan 12 2008 02:30 AM

omg, i sooo want to see the result. well sounds good to me that he has a clear vision.

(Reply to this)
elpidi79
elpidi79 writes:
on Jan 12 2008 05:41 AM

"It's like what happens when the wolf has gone from wolf to wolf in sheep's clothing back to the wolf."

wtf?

It sounds like what a dumb guy says--trying to sound like a smart guy--back to being the dumb guy. Yeah, it sounds like Rocky has taken one too many movie punches to the head.


(Reply to this)
Legen-dary
Legen-dary writes:
on Jan 12 2008 09:53 AM

Didn't they already remake "Death Wish"? It was called "Death Sentence"?

(Reply to this)
TheBerserker
TheBerserker writes:
on Jan 12 2008 10:24 AM

Stallone as a vigilante gone mad!?! BRING IT ON!!!!

(Reply to this)
tawo
tawo writes:
on Jan 12 2008 10:29 AM

This sounds dope. I don't know why Sly doesn't get more props for his creativity, and instead keeps getting looked at as just some holly-wood muscle bound A- lister It sounds Raw and I can Picture it right now.

(Reply to this)
pota1974
pota1974 writes:
on Jan 12 2008 11:19 AM

Maybe it is just me but re-making Death Wish doesnt sound all that creative.

(Reply to this)
Ash Talon
Ash Talon writes:
on Jan 12 2008 11:30 AM

Uh....a criminal who gave up that lifestyle gets pulled back in? How is that a fresh approach.

I like the idea (if I'm reading correctly into the mishmosh he speaks) that a defense attorney having an injustice done to him and having to choose how to respond. It would be interesting to have someone that defends scum have to take his revenge on them, since the system he's a part of fails to do anything. Now, that could be interesting.

A ex-criminal having to work outside of law is not interesting. It's cliche.


(Reply to this)
CitizenFlynn
CitizenFlynn writes:
on Jan 12 2008 12:15 PM

A Death Wish remake initially sounded weak, even with my unabashed love for Stallone right now (Rambo will be amazing, and the guy is one of the most respectable men in the business). But having read this take on it, this sounds like one of the rare remakes that isn't for the sake of money or dumbing down the original for new audiences. But if Rocky Balboa and especially Rambo are any indication, this will not be your dad's Death Wish with Bronson shooting people point-blank with a rocket launcher. Even if it's a guilty pleasure like Cobra, Stallone plays a badass like no one else, and I give him a HUGE thumbs-up with taking the vigilante subgenre to another realm to the white-collar crime. I haven't seen Death Sentence, but The Brave One was tedious whenever it didn't involve the vigilante scenes (which felt like an awesome movie spliced into a "meh" one), so I'm really jonesing for some new vigilante awesomeness. If you've read his AICN Q&A sessions, Sylvester Stallone is an extremely articulate and socially aware guy, and needless to say I think this will be more in line with the classic vigilante films: Dirty Harry, the original Death Wish, Rolling Thunder (where's this on DVD, dammit!?) from what he's said already. Needless to say, can't wait.

(Reply to this)
Matanuki
Matanuki writes:
on Jan 12 2008 02:58 PM

COUNT ME THE F**K IN!!!

(Reply to this)
fbp
fbp writes:
on Jan 12 2008 05:10 PM

In reply to this comment (#1457775)
Stallone on the A-list?

(Reply to this)
Matanuki
Matanuki writes:
on Jan 12 2008 05:55 PM

In reply to this comment (#1457775)
It sounds pretty sick to me, Tawo. It can be what the Daredevil wasn't.

(Reply to this)
Matanuki
Matanuki writes:
on Jan 12 2008 05:55 PM

In reply to this comment (#1457775)
It sounds pretty sick to me, Tawo. It can be what the Daredevil film wasn't.

(Reply to this)
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