Sylvester Stallone only does his best work when he’s down and out, when he has something to prove against a world that finds him silly. When things are going really well for him, that’s when you get the really bad stuff. He’s very susceptible to hubris.

I bring this up because I have no idea where he is right now. Creed was a big deal for him, but its success wasn’t really his. Nevertheless, his writing duties on Creed II (plus the plot which makes more out of Rocky IV than it’s probably worth) indicates Bad Stallone all over the place. Despite that last great trailer, my hopes for Creed II are kind of low.

But Rambo 5 is a whole different can of worms. These behind the scenes pictures Stallone just posted on Instagram do not help in the slightest:

Look, I get the logic. Rambo ended his last film at his father’s ranch. So sure, he’s a cowboy now. There’s just something about him being SOOOO dressed for the role that keeps me from seeing the John Rambo underneath. If he’s still a wounded warrior who speaks very little and has a thing for ripping throats, I’m all in. If he’s online price-comparing factory-faded chaps, I may have some issues with the film.

I guess the good news is this thing really is finally happening. After all the false starts, I never thought I’d see the day. Let’s hope this movie breaks the series tie between good and bad entries. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting end than the last film, but I’m willing to see how this goes.