With a production budget between $58 and $63 million, Rambo III was the most expensive film ever made at the time. Rambo III was released worldwide on May 25, 1988, and grossed $189 million at the box office. Sam Trautman, from the hands of an extremely powerful and ruthless Soviet Army colonel who is bent on killing both Trautman and Rambo, while helping a local band of Afghan rebels fight against Soviet forces threatening to destroy their village. In the film, Rambo sets out on a dangerous journey to Afghanistan in order to rescue his former commander and his longtime best friend, Col. The film depicts fictional events during the Soviet–Afghan War. A sequel to Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), it is the third installment in the Rambo franchise, followed by Rambo. This would have definitely put the film in hot water, as many of the Mujahideen members went on to join Taliban and Al-Qaeda who were accused of 9/11 attacks.Rambo III is a 1988 American action film directed by Peter MacDonald and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, who also reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. Interestingly, Rambo III did have a different ending, where the hero stays in Afghanistan after rescue to help Mujahideen to fight Soviet forces. In Rambo III, he ends up in Afghanistan only to save a friend and leaves the place once that is done, even if the Mujahideen is shown in a positive light (a huge criticism it got when Rambo III opened in theatres). So it is hard to believe that Rambo III ever had a dedication message to Mujahideen, which also goes against the character of John Rambo, as he is someone who is embittered by the frequent wars. Kabul Airport Chaos: 2 People Fall From Aircraft That Took Off From Hamid Karzai Airport Amid Chaos in Afghanistan. As of where the allegedly fabricated image came from, no one has any clue. While the user observes that the footage length of the climax is different, due to trimming of some scenes, the message remains the same of dedicating the film to the gallant people of Afghanistan. This below video has the YouTube user buy several VHS copies of Rambo III and see what's the ending message in each. There are other theories that the ending message was different in the copies sold to different countries during Rambo III's release, though again, there is no videographic proof to back this. Also check the Washington Post's review from their archives that also mentions the message we see now.Ī book called Fictions of War mentions this urban myth, claiming that the ending message has been changed post 9/11.Īlternate Source: /YK2iyNmXpP Interestingly, a 1988 review of Rambo III in The New York Times mentions the message in the so-called 'new ending' that omits the Mujahideen and only dedicates to the people of Afghanistan. Several viewers, in various blogs and social commentaries, mention seeing it, but there is no substantial evidence to back it. The alleged original ending of Rambo III had gained notoriety as an urban myth, because apart from the above viral still, there is no videographic proof of its existence. So what happened here? The truth is, well, a little complicated. If you check the ending of the film, you would see the dedication message to saying 'Dedicated to the gallant people of Afghanistan'. Reminder: The 1988 film Rambo III was dedicated to the "brave" Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan, who were being funded by the US at the time. The premise is inspired by the allegations that CIA had been funding and training the Mujahideen to topple Soviet Union in the '80s. The still in question has gained momentum on social media, as it shows the film dedicating itself to the 'Brave Mujahideen Fighters of Afghanistan'. The plot of Rambo III has Sylvester Stallone's hero going to Afghanistan to help out the Mujahideen to fight against the Soviet army, the latter portrayed as villains here. Rambo Remake: Prabhas to Replace Tiger Shroff in the Siddharth Anand Directorial? Directed by Peter MacDonald as part of the Rambo franchise and starring Sylvester Stallone in the lead, Rambo III was based on the Soviet-Afghan war in the '80s, although it followed a fictional narrative revolving around the former mercenary John Rambo. In these times, on social media, a picture is going viral claiming to be a still from the 1988 film Rambo III. The world is shocked by the Taliban re-capturing Afghanistan and the US Army's hasty exit from the country.