Was 'Rambo III' Originally Dedicated To 'The Brave Mujahideen Fighters Of Afghanistan' Before 9/11? The Hoax Explained

Rambo III may have gone down as the weakest link in the movie franchise, but it isn't Sylvester Stallone's gritty acting or the infamous tank battle that has cemented the film's presence in modern memory today. On the internet, Rambo III is perhaps best known as the subject of a rampant internet hoax that takes inspiration from the film's setting in 1980s Afghanistan, where Rambo helps a local band of Afghan rebels in their fight against invading Soviet forces.

The hoax claims that the end credits of the film were changed after the September 11th, 2001 attacks to erase all evidence of the film inadvertently supporting the Mujahideen, who later became the Islamic extremist group the Taliban. Here are the origins of the phrase, This film is dedicated to the brave mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan.

What Is The "Brave Mujahideen Fighters Of Afghanistan" Hoax?

The film Rambo III, directed by Peter MacDonald and starring Sylvester Stallone, was released on May 25th, 1988, and followed Stallone as he played Rambo, a man on a mission to rescue his friend from the clutches of a Soviet commander in Afghanistan. Sometime in the early-2010s, an urban legend about the ending title credits of the film began to circulate on the internet.

The hoax claims that the ending credits of the film were changed from "This film is dedicated to the brave Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan" to "This film is dedicated to the gallant people of Afghanistan" after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US. The hoax is a reference to the US government's role in supporting the Mujahideen group in Afghanistan, a group that later went on to form the Taliban and cooperate with Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for 9/11.

Where Did The Hoax Originate?

The fake credit hoax originated sometime in the early 2010s, with forum posts and tweets referencing the title change and presenting it as fact as early as 2011.

Has The Hoax Been Debunked?

The claim that Rambo III changed their end credits to remove a reference to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan has long been debunked by internet users. The claim can be fact-checked by looking at early pre-9/11 reviews of Rambo III, and seeing direct references to the line "gallant people of Afghanistan." Other fact-checkers have gone so far as to collect pre-9/11 VHS and DVD tapes to see if the credits mention the Mujahideen.

What Are The Memes People Make In Reference To The Hoax?

A common use of the phrase "This film is dedicated to the brave Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan" in meme culture has been to take stills from different films and media and superimpose the quote onto it.

For the full history of the "This film is dedicated to the brave Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan" hoax, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.