Every decade has that one genre of film that takes off. The 2000s saw the rise of the superhero movie, while the ’90s featured many a disaster movie; in the ’80s, it was the buddy cop comedy. Whether it wasDanny GloverandMel GibsoninLethal WeaponorTom Hanksand a dog inTurner and Hooch, the idea of pairing two wildly different characters together is an idea that’s sustained many movies. But the buddy cop movie that might have slipped under action fans' radar isTango & Cash. That’s genuinely surprising, especially considering that it starsKurt RussellandSylvester Stallone—two actors who were at the height of their careers in the late ’80s. It even has a solid premise for a buddy cop comedy: the sharply dressed, by-the-book Raymond “Ray” Tango (Stallone) and the loose cannon Gabriel “Gabe” Cash (Russell) wind up joining forces to stop crime lord Yves Perret (Jack Palance) after he frames them for murder.Tango & Cashis more infamous forits extremely troubled production, which lasted up to the film’s release.
‘Tango & Cash’ Lost Crew Members and Went Through Edits up Until Release
Tango & Cashwas the brainchild of producersJon PetersandPeter Guber, who developed it while working onTim Burton’sBatman. But from the start,the production was losing directors and even a star. Kurt Russell wasn’t the first choice to play Cash;Patrick Swayzewas, until he left to filmRoad House(another slice of late ’80s action cheese).Andrei Konchalovskywas tapped to direct—to say he was an odd choice was an understatement, since at that point his filmography consisted mostly of dramas, includingMaria’s LoversandShy People. Naturally, this led to clashes with Peters; where Konchalovsky & Stallone wanted a more gritty, action-packed drama, Peters wanted a campier one. Ultimately, Konchalovsky was fired, withAlbert Maglonistepping in to shoot the final stretchesofTango & Cash. Konchalovsky’sTango & Cashexperiencesoured him on working in Hollywood: “Little did I realize…that Hollywood offers a Russian film director nothing. You are needed there only as a craftsman, but if suddenly you show ambition a bit above the average level—that’s it, they start putting a spanner in the works.”
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“I got a stage-five clinger!”
Konchalovsky wasn’t the only person who departedTango & Cash’s production.Barry Sonnenfield,the original cinematographer, was let go for not lighting Stallone the correct way (yes, really). But even when filming was completed,Tango & Cashran into legal issueswhenPeters and Guber sued Warner Bros.for removing them from the film’s production.The timing couldn’t have been worse;Stuart Bairdhad been hired as editor to try and reshapeTango & Cashinto something watchable, since Warner Bros. was unhappy with the initial results. Baird finally got a theatrical cut into theaters, just in time for the June 03, 2025 release. It wouldn’t be the first time Baird helped save a Sylvester Stallone movie, as he also helped with edits onDemolition Man.
Sylvester Stallone Is up for a ‘Tango and Cash’ Sequel, but Kurt Russell Isn’t Convinced
Despite all the production troubles it went through,Tango & Cashis a surprisingly entertaining and campy watch. A lot of that has to do with the dynamic between Stallone and Russell, who trade as many quips as they fire bullets. There’s even a hilarious moment where Cash has to go undercover, and Tango’s sister Katherine (Teri Hatcher) disguises him as a woman; watching the man who was a grizzled badass inEscape from New Yorkrocking a wig and lipstick will have viewers howling. It’s also action-packed. especially the finale, where Tango & Cashconfront Perret in a hall of mirrors.
Stallone said that hewould love to make a sequel toTango & Cashin 2019:“I would doTango & Cashin a second,” Stallone toldFandango. “I know, with Kurt [Russell], it’s not about a caper… it’s just us doing our thing.” Russell told Stallone that he needed time to think; given how the original film’s production went, it’s no surprise. But if Stallone can getmultiple Rambo sequels off the ground, aTango & Cashsequel wouldn’t be out of the question.
Tango & Cash
