FIRST OFF . . .

The plug’s reportedly been pulled on Sylvester Stallone’s “Rambo III,” sources associated with the production said Wednesday. Production staffers who were ready to go to work April 7 in Guaymas, Mexico, were notified Friday that shooting on the third return of Stallone’s trigger-happy Vietnam vet had been postponed indefinitely. The reason: Stallone, in need of a winner after the flop of “Over the Top,” reportedly is fighting producers Carolco Films for more production money. Stallone was said to be rewriting his script and transforming his explosive John Rambo character into a soft-spoken, more realistic warrior--in light of the success and Oscar nominations of “Platoon.”