@Courtesy of Orion Pictures
A kinder, gentler Rambo is on the way, thanks to John Rambo, an upcoming prequel being developed by filmmaker Jalmari Helander that hopes to cast Noah Centineo in the title role. Centineo had earlier appeared in Black Adam and The Recruit.
The five earlier Rambo films starring Sylvester Stallone were known for their violence and brutality, but Helander said in an interview with Dexerto that he will be taking a lighter approach. He was quoted as saying that the prequel “won’t be as dark as the last two Rambos… It’s going to be a little more adventurous, and I hope to inspire a new generation of 10-year-olds to go into the forest to play Rambo. Let’s see how that goes.”
Filming for John Rambo will begin in Thailand early in 2026. The screenplay for the new prequel will be written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, who scripted The Mauritanian and Black Adam. It is being produced by Anthony and Joe Russo’s AGBO in association with Lionsgate and Millennium Media.
The two Russo brothers will be serving as executive producers, according to an announcement by Lionsgate on Wednesday, which included the following teaser: “Set during the Vietnam War and filming in Thailand, John Rambo will explore the formative experiences that shaped one of cinema’s most memorable action heroes.”
Angela Russo-Otstot, who is the chief creative officer at AGBO, added that “Rambo is one of the most enduring and iconic figures in action cinema and exploring the origins of that mythology is an incredibly exciting opportunity.”
She added that “Everyone knows John Rambo is a relentless force of nature, but what truly distinguishes him are his principles, his code, his unerring sense of what’s right, and his willingness to risk everything to defend it. Jalmari brings the raw action and emotional depth needed to pay homage to this legendary character. We’re thrilled to collaborate with our partners at Lionsgate and Millennium to support his vision and introduce a new generation to Rambo.”
The character of John J. Rambo, a Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces, was created by David Morrell in his 1972 novel, First Blood, written as the Vietnam war was coming to an end. Morrell, however, strongly criticized the most recent film in the franchise, Rambo: Last Blood (2019), calling it a “mess” that he was ashamed to have his name associated with.
Our interview with Jalmari Helander Helander on “Sisu.”