Having a statue erected in your honor is one thing, but having a pair of plinths put up celebrating a double-act of iconic characters is an accolade that very few people have been afforded. Of course, Sylvester Stallone is no mere mortal – with the action icon and Hollywood legend having witnessed both Rocky Balboa and John Rambo be immortalized forevermore.
The latter’s statue was proudly displayed in the small British Columbia town of Hope, where much of classic thriller First Blood was filmed. The locals have clearly embraced the legacy, reputations, and bump in tourism that comes from hosting one of the greatest genre films of the 1980s (if not all-time), and now a second statue has been unveiled to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary.
Stallone’s Vietnam veteran won’t be too happy about it, though, with the erstwhile villain of the piece taking pride of place outside of Hope’s Memorial Hall after the tribute to the late Brian Dennehy’s Will Teasle was put in the spotlight to wrap up the four-day celebrations building up to the landmark anniversary of First Blood‘s release into theaters on October 22, 1982.
Sadly, Brian Dennehy passed away at the age of 81 in April 2020, but his memory will endure in the town of Hope. With a population of just over 6000, you can understand why promoting the everlasting popularity of Rambo’s first cinematic adventure continues to be a huge boon to the community, and Stallone voiced his approval when his own statue was first revealed.
However, it would appear that Sheriff Teasle got the last laugh after all, having now taken up a plum spot in the exact same place as his onscreen arch-nemesis, cementing their antagonism until the end of time.
