Stallone’s AI-driven Rambo prequel idea draws pushback as casting and production details emerge

Sylvester Stallone said he once pitched an AI-driven prequel to the Rambo franchise that would place an 18-year-old John Rambo at the center of a Vietnam-era origin story. Speaking on the Bingeworthy podcast, the 79-year-old actor said collaborators were skeptical about the idea, noting that "everyone thought I was crazy" for proposing an AI-assisted revival.

Stallone argued that AI is advanced enough to recreate the same image of Rambo at 18, going so far as to suggest the program could "go through Saigon to see him at 18 years old" and produce a faithful portrayal of the character before his First Blood origin.

Deadline reported that Noah Centineo will star as the title character in a reboot tentatively titled John Rambo, with Jalmari Helander directing and Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani writing. Production was slated to begin early next year in Thailand, according to sources. Stallone was said to be aware of the project but not involved.

Five Rambo films have grossed more than $800 million worldwide. The five films in the franchise also include 1982's First Blood, 1985's Rambo: First Blood Part II, 1988's Rambo III, 2008's Rambo and 2019's Rambo: Last Blood.

Stallone has previously discussed reviving Rambo. In 2022, he told The Hollywood Reporter that a revival could take a Ken Burns-style approach to Vietnam, dropping young Rambo into the historical arc to show how he became the character fans know. "I think it's going to happen," he said at the time, adding that a torch-passing story was getting close.

Stallone remains a visible figure in culture through the Paramount+ series Tulsa King, where he stars alongside Martin Starr, Jay Will, Vincent Piazza, Garrett Hedlund and Dana Delany.