Following word this past spring that a package was coming together for a Rambo prequel, Millennium Media looks to have its man as sources tell Deadline that Noah Centineo is attached to star in John Rambo. Sisu director Jalmari Helander is set to direct from a screenplay by writing duo Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.
Sources say the plan is to shoot top of 2026 in Thailand. Insiders also add that while no deals are in place, Lionsgate is the front-runner to land the package. The studio has released the past two Rambo pics and also has a relationship with Helander having worked with him on Sisu.
The film’s plot is under wraps, but it will be the origin story of a young John Rambo during the Vietnam War. One of the most iconic action heroes in U.S. cinema, the character was created by David Morell in his novel First Blood. The original 1982 film saw saw Sylvester Stallone play the veteran Green Beret, who is forced by a cruel sheriff and his deputies to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers. The five movies in the franchise have generated more than $800 million worldwide; the most recent, 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood, produced by Millennium and Sly’s Balboa, made $92M at the box office.
As for Stallone, when Deadline first reported on the package, insiders told Deadline he was aware of the project but was not involved, and as of today that remains the same. Sources now say that Stallone has been alerted to Centineo’s attachment.
Producers on the latest installment are Kevin King-Templeton on behalf of Templeton Media, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger and Avi Lerner. Executive producers include Trevor Short and Bonfire Legends’ Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk.
As for Centineo, his star has been on the rise after breakout roles in the Netflix hit series To All the Boys I Loved Before and The Recruit, but this is sort of role that could launch a young star onto the A-list. Up next, he will star as Ken Masters in Legendary’s live-action adaptation of Street Fighter, starring opposite Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the film is slated for release in 2026.
Most recently, Centineo appeared in A24’s Warfare from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, as well as in Oscar Boyson’s directorial debut Our Hero, Balthazar, which he also produced under his Arkhum banner. The latter premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
Centineo is repped by WME and Myman Greenspan Fox.
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