Rambo Franchise Reloads With a Prequel That’s DOA Without Stallone

I’ve been a fan of First Blood and many of the Rambo films for decades. Sylvester Stallone stepped into the role and defined the character with a performance that was more than just an action hero; it carried emotional weight, a quiet intensity, and a rough-edged authenticity that no one else has ever matched. Now the franchise is returning again, this time with a prequel called John Rambo, and it is doing so without Stallone’s involvement. That alone tells me this will not be the Rambo I want to see.

Noah Centineo, best known for light romantic comedies and a handful of recent action roles, has been cast as the young Rambo. The film will be directed by Jalmari Helander, whose work in Sisu proved he can stage brutal, relentless action. The script is coming from Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshvani, and it will focus on Rambo’s Vietnam War experiences. That premise could work, but the fact that Stallone, the man who created Rambo’s persona on screen, isn’t crafting the script or guiding the tone is a huge red flag. Fans remember Rambo: Last Blood getting hammered by critics because it dealt with human trafficking and a pourous U.S. souther border, and it underperformed at the box office, and that was with Stallone still involved. Without him, the margin for error is gone.

What makes this even harder to accept is that there’s already a fully fleshed-out and well-received Rambo origin story: First Kill. Chuck Dixon and Stallone co-wrote a graphic novel, funded by a successful crowdfunding campaign, that dives deep into Rambo’s youth, from his days as a high school athlete to his time in Vietnam. It was authentic, true to the tone of First Blood, and embraced by loyal fans. The studio has decided to ignore it entirely, choosing instead to chart their own “fresh” course. To me, that’s proof they don’t really understand what made Rambo resonate in the first place.

Going forward without Stallone’s involvement, and without using a story he already helped create is a recipe for disaster. Fans will have no interest in a hollow imitation. Rambo’s not a generic soldier role that can be recast and retooled endlessly like James Bond. He’s one man’s creation, rooted in Stallone’s instincts, physical presence, and understanding of the character’s pain and resilience. Remove that, and you’re left with the shell of the name and none of the soul.

Rambo should only return in a way that honors what Stallone built. But right now, this feels like a studio squeezing the last juice from a franchise that’s already run dry. Without Stallone’s influence, John Rambo will be just another forgettable action movie with a familiar title slapped on the poster. And for those of us who still admire First Blood, that’s not just disappointing; it’s the end of the line for this hero.