Rambo Prequel in Development

Rambo is poised to make a comeback, with a prequel currently in development under the direction of Jalmari Helander, known for Sisu and Big Game. As reported by Deadline, Millennium Media is introducing the film, titled John Rambo, at the Cannes market.

The Cannes market, which operates alongside the Cannes Film Festival, serves as a showcase for upcoming film projects still in need of financing or distribution partners. Millennium Media, the studio behind franchises like The Expendables and Has Fallen, also produced 2008’s Rambo and 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood.

While specific plot details for John Rambo are still under wraps, it is confirmed that the story will take place during the Vietnam War, acting as a prequel to the classic 1982 film First Blood. Casting decisions have not yet been finalized. According to Deadline, Sylvester Stallone—the original star of Rambo—is aware of the project but is not currently involved.

The screenplay for John Rambo was written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, whose credits include The Mauritanian and Black Adam. Filming is scheduled to begin in Thailand starting this October.

Though a Rambo prequel may come as a surprise, Helander’s 2023 World War II action film Sisu—which reimagines John Wick as an elderly Finnish commando unleashing chaos on retreating Nazis after the Lapland War—demonstrates he is well-equipped to handle the high-octane material.