THE DEADBOLT: Since you've also stepped behind the camera in recent years, how do you think you've grown as a director from an artistic standpoint?

LUNDGREN: Well, I’m making slow, but positive progress. I’ve made three movies as a director and the last one - Missionary Man, which is out now - it also has a little bit of a faith based theme. There’s a biblical motif and the character strides into town carrying a bible and eventually a gun. It’s like a classic Western and he ends up straightening out some stuff that happened a long time ago, taking revenge for something. I think that the more you work as a director, the more you try to trust your instincts a little more and you try to put something special into the stories so that it has a point of view. The good thing about the DVD market is that it gives you the freedom to take some risks because the budgets aren’t as huge as a theatrical picture.

THE DEADBOLT: Speaking of theatrical pictures, have you seen Rambo?

LUNDGREN: No, I haven’t. I’ll have to see it. I saw the trailer, which I liked. I’ll have to see it. Have you seen it?

THE DEADBOLT: Not yet, but I hear it's awesome. Do you think we’ll ever see an action film with you, Stallone, and Van Damme together in one movie? The timing might be right.

LUNDGREN: I don’t know, I think it would be hard to bring everyone back together. The one I’m most friendly with and know the best is Stallone. We’ve just kept in-touch over the years. I’m grateful for that relationship and who knows, maybe.

THE DEADBOLT: Have you been approached about the upcoming He-Man project?

LUNDGREN: No, I haven’t. I haven’t checked up on it, but isn’t it set to star Brad Pitt or something like that? The last I heard John Woo was supposed to direct.

THE DEADBOLT: Those were old rumors.

LUNDGREN: I know there are a lot of superhero pictures out there and it’s funny because my career started out doing those films - The Punisher, He-Man - and now I’d feel kind of stupid pulling on the tights again and trying to muscle up and be the strongest guy in the world. I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right somehow. I’m almost going the opposite way, so we’ll see how it goes.

THE DEADBOLT: What’s the latest on your Brazilian-bare knuckle fighting project?

LUNDGREN: That’s something I was developing for a while and it’s on hold right now. I’m probably going to go to Eastern Europe because I have a picture I want to direct that’s set in Russia, but I want to shoot it in Bulgaria, part of it, and then a second unit in Russia.

THE DEADBOLT: How about the status of your other project, Icarus?

LUNDGREN: Icarus, as a matter of fact, is right here on the computer in front of me, I’m working on the script. I think it’s turning out pretty good, it’s kind of interesting. It’s a three character piece and there’s a hitman, played by yours truly, because I wanted to play a bad guy again. People kind of enjoy me as that. Then there’s another younger guy and then there’s a girl. It’s a love triangle mixed with political intrigue and the United States in turmoil not far in the future. I think it’s going to be cool.