Millennium Media has found its lead for the Rambo prequel. The trades report that Noah Centineo is set to star in John Rambo, with Sisu director Jalmari Helander directing from a script by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.
Production and Distribution
Via Deadline, filming is planned for early 2026 in Thailand. While no distribution deal is finalized, Lionsgate is considered the leading contender. The studio released the last two Rambo films and previously worked with Helander on Sisu.
Story Details
The plot is being kept quiet, but the film will serve as an origin story for John Rambo, set during the Vietnam War. The character, created by David Morell in his novel First Blood, was first portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the 1982 film of the same name. Stallone’s Rambo became one of cinema’s most recognized action heroes, appearing in five films that have earned over $800 million worldwide. The most recent entry, Rambo: Last Blood (2019), grossed $92 million.
Stallone’s Involvement
Stallone is not attached to the prequel. The article adds Stallone was made aware of the project and Centineo’s casting but remains uninvolved.
Producers
The film is being produced by Kevin King-Templeton (Templeton Media), Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, and Avi Lerner. Executive producers include Trevor Short, Dallas Sonnier, and Amanda Presmyk.
Centineo’s Career
Centineo played Atom Smasher in Black Adam and is best known for Netflix’s To All the Boys I Loved Before and The Recruit. This marks his first major action lead and could push him further into A-list territory. He will next be seen as Ken Masters in Legendary’s Street Fighter, opposite Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji, slated for 2026. Recent credits include A24’s Warfare and Our Hero, Balthazar, which premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
