10 Movie Characters You Won't Believe Were Nearly Killed Off

6. Rambo - First Blood

Pipping Die Hard to the title of 'Eighties Movie You'd Least Expect To Be Based On A Book' is First Blood. That's right, the first film in the bloody Rambo series was adapted from David Morrell's Vietnam novel. Although much of the high-level gore that the series would become known for was popularised in later entries in the series, First Blood certainly doesn't feel like your usual literary outing. There are some natural departures from the source, which you'd expect in a Sly Stallone film; Rambo is a more likeable character, with Stallone's screenplay injecting a more moral sense to the killings. Oh, and in the book Rambo dies at the end. That's a pretty major change. Motivated by Stallone (who possibly saw another Rocky-level franchise in the film), it makes a bit of sense given a more sympathetic Rambo, although does change the feel of the story. It wasn't always the plan through production that the hero would live, however; in another change to the book's ending a scene was shot where Rambo kills himself. Imagine what would have happened had Rambo died at the end. No further installments, a different career path for Stallone, no Expendables... Quick, get Doc Brown on the phone.