12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Noah Centineo Sets Sights On ‘John Rambo' Franchise Prequel
Action veteran Millennium Media is launching John Rambo , a prequel and origin film to the 1982 classic First Blood , and it looks like the production company has Noah Centineo in its crosshairs to play the titular character (via Deadline). Noah Centineo / Photo credits: Monica Schipper; Getty Images
Sisu (2022) director Jalmari Helander is slated to direct the screenplay penned by the dual writers, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, known for their work on Black Adam (2022). Sources have revealed that the film will be shot beginning in early 2026 in Thailand, and Lionsgate is at the forefront of considerations to distribute the film. The studio, having previously worked with Helander on Sisu , has also released the past two Rambo films and looks poised to have an advantage. While plot details have remained undisclosed, the upcoming film will be an origin story exploring a young John Rambo's escapades during the Vietnam War.
Created by David Morell in his novel First Blood , John Rambo has become a household name, due in no small part to Sylvester Stallone's rugged portrayal in the original 1982 film. First Blood saw Stallone play the highly-skilled veteran Green Beret who, upon facing a harsh sheriff and his antagonistic deputies, has no choice but to flee into the mountains and wage a one-man war against them. Sylvester Stallone as Rambo
The five films in the franchise have thus far generated more than US$800 million globally, with the latest instalment, Rambo: Last Blood (2019), produced by Millennium and Stallone's Balboa Productions, having garnered US$92 million at the box office.
Though aware of the project and Centineo's new involvement, Stallone is currently uninvolved in the prequel's development. Centineo, meanwhile, has experienced a rising stardom with his roles in To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018), The Recruit (2022) and Black Adam (2022), but his portrayal of the titular character in John Rambo looks to be an opportunity that could propel his career further. The 29-year-old is also slated to star as Ken Masters in Legendary Entertainment's live-action Street Fighter , starring opposite Jason Momoa ( Aquaman, Fast X ) and Andrew Koji ( Warrior, Snake Eyes ).
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