'John Rambo' drops first poster as filming begins for prequel starring Noah Centineo
After much anticipation, 'Rambo' 6, titled 'John Rambo', has finally started filming, and we can't contain our excitement. The beloved franchise, which began with 'First Blood' in 1982, made Sylvester Stallone a household name. Now, the prequel is set to tap into Rambo's origins, with Noah Centineo taking on the iconic role.
The 'Rambo' prequel will explore Rambo's early days during the Vietnam War, with 'Sisu' director Jalmari Helander at the helm and a script by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. Filming has officially begun in Thailand, and five new cast members have been announced, as per ScreenRant. Lionsgate confirmed that the 'John Rambo' ensemble cast includes Yao (Sinners), Jason Tobin (A Thousand Blows), Quincy Isaiah (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Jefferson White (Yellowstone), and Tayme Thapthimthong (The White Lotus).
Helander shared his excitement, sharing, "When I was eleven, I saw First Blood for the first time, and it changed my life. Rambo wasn't just a film to me—it stayed with me growing up and was a defining influence on why I wanted to become a filmmaker. As we begin production on the origin of John Rambo, we're going back to the beginning." He also teased the film's tone, "This is Rambo stripped down, raw, and real—a survival story about endurance, persistence, and lost innocence. It's an honor to shape this next chapter with deep respect for the character and the legacy and to bring audiences the start of John Rambo's journey," as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Talking about the movie, Helander told The Hollywood Reporter, "It's a big deal for me to actually do a Rambo film, and there's a lot of responsibility. So I'm just trying to do the best I can with it, and I hope that's enough." Produced by Millennium Media, Templeton Media, and AGBO, the film's producers include Kevin King Templeton, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, Michael Disco, and Angela Russo-Otstot; Anthony and Joe Russo, Trevor Short, Dallas Sonnier, and Amanda Presmyk serve as executive producers. The first 'Rambo' movie had Stallone playing a Vietnam War veteran confronting a small-town sheriff and the National Guard.
The film earned $125 million worldwide (equivalent to $417 million today) and led to several sequels, most recently 2019's 'Rambo: Last Blood'. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Erin Westerman said, "We're thrilled to start production on John Rambo, which will allow both new audiences and existing fans to explore John Rambo's roots, his principles, and most importantly, some incredible action, courtesy of Jalmari's singular vision. And we're so excited for Noah's committed and powerful performance to show what forged this character into a legend."
