Pop culture’s favorite veteran, John Rambo, is headed back to the big screen, this time portrayed by Noah Centineo (“Street Fighter”). The origin story prequel began production in Bangkok, Thailand, this week, backed by Lionsgate, Millennium Media, Templeton Media and AGBO.
“John Rambo” is set years before the events of “First Blood” (1982), exploring the backstory and experiences of John J. Rambo, the action hero originated by Sylvester Stallone.
Directed by “Sisu” helmer Jalmari Helander, “John Rambo” will star 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”).
In his director’s statement, Helander said, “When I was 11, 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. 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.”
Filming will take place across Thailand, including the cities of Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Kanchanaburi.
The film is written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani and produced by Kevin King Templeton and Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger for Millennium Media, Michael Disco and Angela Russo-Otstot for AGBO. Anthony and Joe Russo, Trevor Short for Millennium Media, and Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk for Bonfire Legend will serve as executive producers. The film will be distributed by Lionsgate.
