Sylvester Stallone Wants To Make 'Tango & Cash 2', But Kurt Russell Has Doubts

In 1989, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell joined forces in a buddy cop action film called Tango & Cash, in which they played a pair of police officers who were framed for murder. The film was excessive, frequently ridiculous, and totally over the top – a last gasp of the macho 1980s action era before we transitioned into the (slightly) more reasonable '90s.

And because Stallone is intoxicated by the notion of revisiting practically every memorable character he's ever played, now he's talking about a possible Tango and Cash 2. But apparently Kurt Russell is a bit more hesitant to jump back in and play the hits again, so it seems unlikely that this one's going to come together any time soon. Read Stallone's comments about the potential sequel below.

Stallone has obviously returned to the well a number of times already, bringing characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo back from cinematic oblivion. Now, in an interview with Fandango, Stallone talks about wanting to resurrect his uptight cop character from Tango and Cash, Lt. Ray Tango.

"I would do Tango & Cash in a second. I know, with Kurt [Russell], it's not about a caper...it's just us doing our thing. [But Russell said] 'I don't know, Sly...There we were in our prime and now we're in our unprime, I dunno.' So I said, 'Kurt, I'm telling you, ya gotta go in on this.' So he said, 'I'll talk to you when I get back.'"

I love the mental image of Stallone cold-calling Russell and trying to pitch him on a Tango and Cash sequel, while a totally disinterested Russell is in the middle of a lazy afternoon Scrabble session or something while on vacation halfway across the world with Goldie Hawn.

What would a Tango & Cash 2 even be about? It's not like the two of them would still be the best cops in Los Angeles, and to rehash the plot of the first movie again – they're framed for something else this time! – would be taking it too far. Stallone has never known when to stop, and while some of his follow-up entries have been much better than others (Creed, mainly), I'd much rather see him let these characters exist as they are and not try to bring them back all the time.

Another factor, of course, is that another version of Tango and Cash already exists. It's called Hobbs & Shaw, and it's essentially a modern retelling of the first movie but with a genetically enhanced super soldier and Dwayne Johnson nearly pulling helicopter out of the sky with his bare hands. Seriously, next time you're bored, I encourage you to carve out four-plus hours and settle in for a double feature, because the similarities are stark – all the way down to the heroes being framed and one of them being romantically interested in the other's sister. Check out the trailer for Tango & Cash below: