Photo Credit: Getty Images
Millennium Media is moving forward with plans for an origin story in the Rambo franchise, and Noah Centineo is now in talks to lead the project. The film, titled John Rambo, will explore the character’s formative years during the Vietnam War.
Jalmari Helander, known for his gritty action work on Sisu, is set to direct from a screenplay by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, the writing duo behind Black Adam. While the package still has some hurdles before officially getting the green light, progress is being made with an eye toward beginning production in early 2026 in Thailand. Lionsgate is reportedly the front-runner to distribute, given its history with the franchise and its existing relationship with Helander.
The role of John Rambo is one of the most iconic in action cinema history, originating in David Morrell’s novel First Blood and brought to life by Sylvester Stallone in the 1982 film of the same name. That movie introduced audiences to a veteran Green Beret who becomes embroiled in a violent conflict with a small-town sheriff and his deputies.
Over the course of five films, the Rambo franchise has grossed more than $800 million worldwide, with the most recent installment, Rambo: Last Blood in 2019, earning $92 million at the global box office. This prequel aims to give fans a deeper look into the events and experiences that forged the character’s survival skills, combat instincts, and hardened worldview.
Stallone, who has been synonymous with the role for more than four decades, is aware of the project but is not currently involved. Producers have kept communication open with him, though, and there remains speculation about whether he might make an appearance in some form.
For now, the focus is on Centineo, whose career has steadily gained momentum following breakout performances in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Recruit. He will also be appearing as Ken Masters in Legendary’s upcoming Street Fighter film, alongside Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji, set for release in 2026.
The producing team for John Rambo includes Kevin King-Templeton of Templeton Media, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, and Avi Lerner, with Trevor Short, Dallas Sonnier, and Amanda Presmyk serving as executive producers. Helander has expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, calling himself a lifelong fan of Rambo and describing the chance to bring the character’s younger years to the big screen as “surreal.” For Millennium, this project represents both a chance to expand the Rambo mythology and to introduce the legendary action hero to a new generation of audiences.
