The Lost Sequel: What If Commando 2 Had Stormed the ’80s?
What if I told you that the 1980s could have given us another dose of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s muscle-bound, one-liner-spouting glory in Commando 2? It’s not just a fan’s fantasy—it was almost a reality. Screenwriter Steven E. De Souza, the mastermind behind the original Commando, had a sequel script ready just two years after the 1985 classic. And let me tell you, it’s a fascinating 'what if' that reveals as much about Hollywood’s priorities as it does about our appetite for over-the-top action.
A Sequel That Could Have Been—But Why Wasn’t It?
Personally, I think the most intriguing aspect of Commando 2 isn’t just its plot, but the timing. In 1987, Schwarzenegger was already pivoting to roles like Predator and The Running Man, and the comedy Twins was on the horizon. Was Hollywood—or even Arnold himself—ready for another straight-up action fest? What makes this particularly fascinating is how the script reflects a shift in the actor’s career trajectory. It’s almost as if Commando 2 was a relic of a bygone era, even before it had a chance to exist.
De Souza’s script, with revisions by none other than Frank Darabont (yes, The Shawshank Redemption Frank Darabont), reimagined John Matrix as a retired army man turned security consultant. Sounds like a natural evolution, right? But here’s where it gets juicy: Matrix discovers his employer is a front for an illegal arms business, and he’s forced to take down the very security systems—and guards—he helped create. What this really suggests is that the sequel wasn’t just about bigger guns and more explosions (though there would have been plenty of those). It was about exploring how a hero’s past catches up with him, a theme De Souza explicitly compared to Die Hard 2.
The Die Hard Connection: Fact or Fiction?
One thing that immediately stands out is the rumor that Commando 2’s script was repurposed into Die Hard. De Souza has flatly denied this, calling it ‘bullshit,’ but the parallels are hard to ignore. Both involve a hero trapped in a high-tech corporate building, fighting against overwhelming odds. From my perspective, the rumor persists because it’s such a tantalizing idea—what if these two iconic action franchises were, in some way, connected? But what many people don’t realize is that Commando 2 had its own unique DNA. It wasn’t just about trapping a hero in a building; it was about Matrix confronting the consequences of his own choices.
Why This Matters—And Why It Still Resonates
If you take a step back and think about it, Commando 2 could have been a game-changer. It would have shown Matrix as a more nuanced character, grappling with the aftermath of his notoriety. Instead of just being a one-man army, he’d be a man reckoning with his legacy. This raises a deeper question: Why do we love these larger-than-life action heroes, and what happens when they’re forced to confront their own humanity?
A detail that I find especially interesting is how the script brought back characters like Jenny (Alyssa Milano) and Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong), now grown up and part of the story. It’s not just fan service—it’s a way to ground the sequel in emotional stakes. In an era where action movies were often disposable, Commando 2 could have been a rare example of a sequel that actually deepened its characters.
The Broader Implications: What This Says About Hollywood
Here’s the thing: Commando 2 wasn’t just a missed opportunity for fans; it was a missed opportunity for Hollywood to evolve its action genre. Instead of leaning into the same old formula, the script tried to add layers to its hero. And yet, it never got made. Why? Was it because Schwarzenegger was moving on? Or because studios were more interested in one-off hits than character-driven sequels?
In my opinion, this is where the story of Commando 2 becomes more than just a footnote in film history. It’s a reminder of how Hollywood often prioritizes the immediate over the enduring. We got Die Hard, sure, but what if Commando 2 had paved the way for a new kind of action sequel—one that balanced spectacle with substance?
Final Thoughts: A Sequel That Lives On in Our Imagination
Should Schwarzenegger have made Commando 2 back in ’87? Personally, I think the answer is yes—not just because it would have been a blast, but because it could have redefined what an action sequel could be. Instead, it remains a fascinating 'what if,' a script that’s now more of a time capsule than a blueprint for a film.
But here’s the silver lining: Commando 2 lives on in our imagination, a reminder of the roads not taken and the stories that could have been. And who knows? Maybe one day, someone will dust off that script and give John Matrix the sequel he deserves. Until then, I’ll be rewatching the original and dreaming of what might have been.
