Stallone Back In Action!

Political pundits may be calling Senator John McCain the “Comeback Kid,” but in the entertainment industry that title goes squarely to 61-year old Sylvester Stallone.

After making a more than impressive return last year with his pug film of that loveable and dynamic champ “Rocky Balboa” (B.O. gross $70 milllion), the champ of action did it again this year when he brought John “Rambo” out of retirement and decimated the bad guys in Burma. That film was so successful in the U.S. and overseas that the repressive Burmese government banned it from being shown in that country’s theaters. “Rambo” made over $25 million in just 10 days in the U.S. alone. Over $18 million of that total happen in the first few hours after it opened nationwide.

Now Mr. Stallone has landed a very lucrative deal with NU Image/Millennium Films that will allow him and his “Rambo” producer Danny Dimbort to create two more new action films. The deal gives Stallone the opportunity to again direct and star in them. Besides directing and starring in these two new vehicles, Stallone will also add producer to his credit along with Kevin King-Templeton and Avi Lerner. Danny Dimbort, Short and Boaz Davidson will serve as executive producers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

There should be no delay in getting scripts for the adventure/action flicks since Nu Image/Millenium Films has made its own deal with the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

“The past year and a half of working with Avi, his partners Danny and Trevor and his film family has been nothing but a high point for me and my career and an extremely rewarding experience,” Stallone said. “Avi is a real gentleman and a man of his word.”

Avi Lerner will be bringing back two comic book legends to the big screen in 2008 and 2009. He is behind the resurrection of “Red Sonja” (2008) and “Conan the Barbarian” (2009). Stallone is writing the script for another Lerner film titled “Poe,” which chronicles the legendary American writer’s life, from his famous works and bouts with madness and depression, to his mysterious death in 1849. It has been rumored that Viggo Mortensen is currently in negotiations to play Edgar Allan Poe, but the actor denies it saying, “I’ve heard that from a few people, and it’s news to me. Somebody decided to put it up there, and then the rumor spread. It sounds intriguing, but I have no plans to do that.” Stallone will also direct “Poe.”