Editing First Blood (section)

=== Casting ===
Brooks originally wanted to cast [[Bette Davis]] as a psychiatrist and either [[Burt Lancaster]] or [[Lee Marvin]] as Sheriff Teasle. When the project was purchased by Warner Bros., [[Robert De Niro]] and [[Clint Eastwood]] were each considered for the role of Rambo.<ref name="prime">{{cite web|url=https://primemovies.pl/2022/07/28/aktorzy-ktorzy-mieli-zagrac-rambo/|title=Ten actors that almost portrayed John Rambo on screen|work=Prime Movies|date=July 28, 2022|access-date=July 29, 2022}}</ref> Ritt intended to cast [[Robert Mitchum]] as Teasle and [[Paul Newman]] as Rambo. Pollack considered [[Steve McQueen]] but then rejected him because they considered him too old to play a Vietnam veteran from 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yuddy.com/celebrity/steve-mcqueen/bio|title=Steve Mcqueen Bio|publisher=Yuddy.com|access-date=July 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718224247/http://www.yuddy.com/celebrity/steve-mcqueen/bio|archive-date=July 18, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[James Caan]], [[Burt Reynolds]] and [[Robert Redford]] were also considered.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/evening-sylvester-stallone-quotes/|title=Sylvester Stallone: In his own words|date=January 14, 2014}}</ref>

Rabe developed his screenplay with [[Al Pacino]] in mind for the role and had several conversations with the actor, who wanted to portray Rambo as a force of nature after seeing the film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]''. However, Pacino decided not to be involved because he found the story too dark and also after his request that Rambo be a lunatic was dismissed by the producers.<ref name="prime"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/rambo-first-blood-al-pacino-casting-change/|title=4 Ways First Blood Would've Been Different if al Pacino Was Rambo|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=June 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.univision.com/entretenimiento/cine-y-series/rambo-y-otros-7-papeles-que-casi-interpreto-al-pacino | title=Rambo y otros 7 papeles que casi interpretó al Pacino }}</ref> When Badham was considered as director he wanted to cast [[John Travolta]] as Rambo, [[George C. Scott]] as Trautman, and either [[Gene Hackman]] or [[Charles Durning]] as Teasle. Frankenheimer considered [[Powers Boothe]], [[Michael Douglas]], and [[Nick Nolte]] as Rambo before casting [[Brad Davis (actor)|Brad Davis]] because of his role in ''[[Midnight Express (film)|Midnight Express]]''.<ref name=":0" /> [[Dustin Hoffman]] was offered the role of Rambo but turned it down.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a98636/hoffman-i-turned-down-rambo/|title=Hoffman: I turned down 'Rambo'|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=June 9, 2008}}</ref>

For the role of Sheriff Teasle, Kassar and Vajna approached [[Academy Award]] winners Hackman and [[Robert Duvall]] but both turned the part down. Marvin, another Oscar winner, turned down the part of Colonel Trautman. [[James Mason]] and [[Richard Jaeckel]] were also considered. [[Kirk Douglas]] was eventually hired. Douglas wrote in his autobiography that he initially rejected the script but agreed after Kotcheff changed it to retain the novel's original ending.  When the ending was changed back to Stallone's version, he left the project.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |date=January 27, 1982 |title=NEWS OF HOLLYWOOD; M-G-M TO FINISH NATALIE WOOD FILM |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/27/movies/news-of-hollywood-m-g-m-to-finish-natalie-wood-film.html |access-date=June 17, 2021 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>  He wrote, "''I thought it would be better, dramatically, if my character realized what a Frankenstein monster, amoral killer, and menace to society he has created and kills Stallone. If they'd listened to me, there would have been no Rambos. They would have lost a billion dollars..''."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Douglas |first=Kirk |title=The ragman's Son |publisher=Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. |year=1988 |isbn=0671637185 |edition=1st Pocket Books printing 1989 |location=New York |pages=417 - 418 |language=English}}</ref> [[Rock Hudson]] was approached as a replacement but was soon to undergo heart surgery and had to pass up the chance to work with Stallone. Richard Crenna was quickly hired as a replacement; the role of Trautman became the veteran character actor's most famous role, a performance for which he received much critical praise.<ref name="drawing" />