With just eight days to go until filming starts on Sly Stallone’s other comeback, Rambo IV: Pearl Of The Cobra (no, we don’t know what that subtitle means, either), we’re delighted to report that the movie’s cast has been augmented by none other than ex-Coronation Street star, Matthew Marsden!
Marsden will play a mercenary who works alongside Rambo in the movie, which sees the grizzled Vietnam War veteran brought out of retirement (again) to kick some ass (again) when a group of missionaries are kidnapped in Burma (ok, that bit’s new). Rambo immediately assembles a team of young bucks – including Marsden - to help rescue the do-gooders, and we’ll go out on a limb here by saying that we reckon all hell will break loose.
Although he could never be described as a great actor, Marsden’s vaguely flourishing career is a rare example of someone achieving success after leaving Britain’s longest-running soap (there’s also Sarah Lancashire and, umm, Amelia Bullmore who reinvented herself as part of Chris Morris’ Jam collective), where he spent a year playing Chris Collins, the world’s least convincing motor mechanic.
And when we say ‘vaguely flourishing’, we mean it: Marsden has picked up roles in the likes of Anacondas: Hunt For The Blood Orchid (where he played the world’s least menacing bad guy), D.O.A.: Dead Or Alive (where he played the world’s least charming rogue), and Resident Evil: Extinction. Yes, he was in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, but only for about two minutes.
So there’s no doubt that Rambo IV will be his biggest gig to date - unless, of course, he gets bumped off in the first ten minutes – and we genuinely wish him, and Rambo’s return, well.