Sylvester Stallone, at age 79, has announced his role as executive producer on a new Rambo prequel featuring 29-year-old Noah Centineo in the lead role, marking a significant shift in his relationship with the iconic franchise. The project, currently filming in Bangkok, Thailand, revisits the early life of John Rambo during the Vietnam War, offering fans a fresh perspective on the character’s origin.
Stallone’s Change of Heart on Portraying Young Rambo
Although Stallone initially wanted to portray a younger version of John Rambo himself, he has now embraced passing the torch to Centineo. In an Instagram video announcing the project, Stallone shared,
“Rambo has been a huge part of my life, my career, but there’s more to the story. There’s the prequel, the beginning. And that’s what’s coming your way,”
while holding the script. He added,
“I will serve as executive producer on this origin story. I couldn’t be more excited, and the action is coming your way.”
Background and Previous Attempts at a Prequel
This prequel will mark Stallone’s first time producing a Rambo film, though he has co-written every installment and directed the 2008 Rambo movie. Earlier in 2023, Stallone proposed employing AI to create a de-aged version of himself to portray young Rambo, a plan that raised eyebrows. Reflecting on that idea during The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast, he stated,
“AI is sophisticated enough to go through Saigon to see him at 18 years old and basically use the same image. So it isn’t as big a stretch,”
acknowledging skepticism he faced.
Noah Centineo Takes on First Major Action Leading Role
The casting of Noah Centineo was announced by director Jalmari Helander in August. Known primarily for his performance as Peter in Netflix’s To All The Boys franchise, Centineo also appears in Black Adam alongside Dwayne Johnson and stars in the Netflix series The Recruit. This Rambo prequel will be Centineo’s first leading part in an established action franchise.
Stallone’s Words of Caution and Franchise Context
Stallone offered Centineo advice drawn from his own experiences, saying,
“It’s very, very hard. He may do a stellar job, but you’re overcoming this because I went through it with Get Carter. Everyone loves the original, and then you’re always fighting that prejudice.”
John Rambo will be the sixth film in the franchise and notably the first without Stallone in the lead role, focusing on events predating the 1982 original. The storyline explores Rambo’s formative years during the Vietnam War.
Franchise Legacy and Future Prospects
Despite mixed reviews of 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood and its relatively low box office earnings compared to previous films, the Rambo franchise has accumulated over $800 million globally. Stallone reflected on the character’s enduring significance, stating,
“Rambo has… meant a lot to me and to audiences around the world for decades,”
and continued,
“Now we’re going back to where his story begins. I’m excited to be executive producing @JohnRamboFilm, exploring the early chapter of the man before the legend.”
