Sylvester Stallone returns for ‘John Rambo’ prequel but not in the way fans would hope
On March 9, it was reported that Sylvester Stallone is teaming up with Lionsgate to bring back his iconic battle-hardened soldier to the big screen. A prequel film titled 'John Rambo,' centered on the titular character's origin story from the Vietnam War, was announced in May 2025. Now, the original Rambo has joined the project, but not as a cast member. He will contribute as an executive producer, marking his debut as a producer on the beloved franchise. The 79-year-old action star confirmed the news on his Instagram page with the caption: "Rambo has been part of my life for a very long time. A character built on resilience, survival, and the scars of war. He’s meant a lot to me and to audiences around the world for decades. 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 🥊.”
Stallone immortalized the character of the lone wolf soldier plagued with PTSD in 'First Blood' (1982) and went on to play the role in four more films until 2019. He has co-written all the films in the franchise and even directed the fourth installment, 'Rambo' in 2008. In September 2025, the action star said he wanted to star in the prequel film using AI to de-age himself into a teen soldier, raising eyebrows. Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in a statement that Stallone's addition was critical to the film, as per Deadline. "Sylvester Stallone knows the character of John Rambo better than anyone, and Lionsgate has had the good fortune of partnering with Sly for more than 20 years on this legendary IP. His participation is the final, critical piece to 'John Rambo,' and we’re thrilled to have his involvement," he said.
'The Recruit' star Noah Centineo was tapped to play the titular role in August. This will mark his first leading role in a major action franchise. He will star alongside Yao, Jason Tobin, Quincy Isaiah, Jefferson White, and Tayme Thapthimthong. The upcoming installment in the 'Rambo' franchise, which will focus on the events before 'First Blood,' began production in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 29. The Finnish screenwriter and director Jalmari Helander is helming the prequel film, and its screenplay is co-written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, whose past credits include 'The Mauritanian' and 'Black Adam.'
Collectively, the 'Rambo' film series has grossed over $819M at the global box office, and the prequel film is highly anticipated by longtime fans of the franchise. In addition to Stallone, Dallas Sonnier, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Amanda Presmyk, and Trevor Short are executive producing the upcoming movie. Furthermore, Kevin King Templeton, Jonathan Yunger, Les Weldon, Michael Disco, and Angela Russo-Otstot serve as producers. 'John Rambo' is produced by Lionsgate, in association with Millennium Media, Templeton Media, and AGBO.
