Donald Trump’s favorite action star has finally come around on relinquishing one of his most iconic roles.
Sylvester Stallone announced that he will executive-produce a Rambo prequel starring 29-year-old Noah Centineo in the title role, despite initially campaigning to play young Rambo himself.
Stallone, 79, announced the new project in a video posted to Instagram on Monday, saying: “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,” he explained, while holding up the script to John Rambo. “I will serve as executive producer on this origin story. I couldn’t be more excited, and the action is coming your way.”
The project marks the first time Stallone has produced a Rambo film, despite having a co-writing credit on all of the original films and directing 2008’s Rambo.
The news comes after Stallone revealed in September that he had pitched a de-aged, AI version of himself for a Rambo prequel.
“Everyone thought I was crazy,” he said on The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast. “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,” he said at the time.
Director Jalmari Helander’s John Rambo prequel announced Centineo’s casting in August. Initial reports said that Stallone was aware of the film but would not be involved.
Centineo is best known for his role as Peter in Netflix’s To All The Boys teen dramedy film series, but also played opposite Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam and starred in the Netflix series The Recruit. The Rambo prequel will be Centineo’s first leading role in a major action franchise.
Stallone offered the younger actor some cautionary advice in his comments from September, 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 Rambo franchise and the first to not star Stallone. The story will chronicle the events before the 1982 film and follow a young Rambo during the Vietnam War. The film is currently being filmed in Bangkok, Thailand.
Stallone’s last installment, 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood, drew mixed reviews from critics and fans and earned the franchise its lowest box office run out of all five films. The franchise has nonetheless earned more than $800 million worldwide.
“Rambo has... meant a lot to me and to audiences around the world for decades,” Stallone said on Monday, while reflecting on the character. “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.”
