A young Lambo was discovered. Noah Centino (Recruit, Black Adam) was reportedly tapped to play the iconic action hero in John Lambo, a prequel that explores the origins of characters during the Vietnam War.
Jalmari Helander, best known for directing the 2022 Finnish action hit Sisu, is taking part in directing from a script by Black Adam and Mauritania scribes Rory Haines and Sorabnosilvani. Currently, production is planned in Thailand in early 2026.
As reported by the deadline, the first part represents the early days of David Morell’s creation, long before the first blood events of 1982. The original film stars Sylvester Stallone as a troubled Vietnamese veteran who clashes with small town law enforcement causing a one-man war on the mountains. Stallone recreates that role in four sequels, and the franchise won US$815 million at the global box office in five films.
Lionsgate, which released the last two Rambo Films, is reportedly still on the forefront of distributing the project, but no deals have yet been made.
Give me the headband: Sorry, Ryan Gosling
Deadline reports that Stallone has been informed of Centineo’s casting but is not involved in the project. The actor who produced and starred in all five previous films first learned about prequel plans earlier this year.
The new installments will be produced by Kevin King Templeton, Les Weldon, Jonathan Junger and Avi Lerner, and will be executive producers by Warren Zide, Trevor Short, Bonfire Legends Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmic.
Stallone has previously shared people who he hopes to take over the role. Appearing in the 2024 episode of The Tonight Show, The Rocky Star revealed that Ryan Gosling is his top pick for Rambo’s future iterations. “I met (Ryan Gosling) at dinner. Obviously we’re against it. He’s cool. I’m not. Can you seriously imagine me as Ken? It’s not going to work at all,” joked Stallone.
Gosling said he was fascinated with Lambo since he was a child. “If I give him the baton, he loves the character so I’ll give it to him,” Stallone said.
From ROM.com to combat boots
Centineo has grown to Netflix and fame on all the boys I loved before the trilogy, then moved to more action-oriented roles, including Netflix’s spy series The Recruit (cancelled earlier this year) and DC’s Black Adam (where DC character Al Rothstein, where Aka Atom Smasher played).
He will soon be considered Ken Master in his legendary live-action fighter adaptation with the cast, including Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji.
New chapters of persistent action icons
The Rambo series has been a decisive action brand for over 40 years, beginning with a small grounded intensity of the first blood, and evolved into a massive, tall war on subsequent entries. Details of John Lambo’s plot remain under the rap, but the film marks the first time the year of character formation in Vietnam is explored on screen.
Although no release date has been announced, with production on the move in early 2026, viewers may not have to wait long to see Sentinoo steal one of the most enduring warriors in cinemas.
