Noah Centineo to Play a Young John Rambo in 'Rambo' Prequel

Millennium Media is moving ahead with a prequel to the long-running “Rambo” film franchise, with actor Noah Centineo attached to star as a young John Rambo in a new feature titled “John Rambo.” Trade coverage indicates the film is positioned as an origin story set around the Vietnam War period, revisiting the traumatic formative experiences that defined the character later portrayed by Sylvester Stallone.

Centineo, known for “Black Adam” and the Netflix series “The Recruit,” is the latest performer linked to reinvigorating an enduring action franchise for a new generation. Reports say he is attached to portray Rambo during his early military years, though full plot details have not been disclosed.

Filmmaker Jalmari Helander, whose credits include “Sisu,” is set to direct from a screenplay by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, the writing duo behind “Black Adam” and “The Mauritanian.” Production is being mounted by Millennium Media, with producers reported to include Kevin King-Templeton, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, and Avi Lerner; executive producers named in trade coverage include Trevor Short and Bonfire Legends’ Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk.

According to these reports, the project aims to begin principal photography in Thailand in early 2026, with Lionsgate—distributor of the two most recent “Rambo” entries—described as a frontrunner to land the package, though no formal distribution deal has been announced.

Trade coverage also notes that original star and franchise co-writer Sylvester Stallone is aware of the new prequel but is not currently involved in the production.

The character of John Rambo was introduced in author David Morrell’s novel “First Blood,” later adapted into the 1982 feature film of the same name. The franchise expanded with sequels across decades—“Rambo: First Blood Part II” (1985), “Rambo III” (1988), “Rambo” (2008), and “Rambo: Last Blood” (2019)—becoming an enduring fixture of American action cinema and collectively grossing hundreds of millions worldwide.