Rambo draws fresh blood with Noah Centineo playing iconic Sly Stallone role in origin movie

Sylvester Stallone Reveals Why He Walked Away From AI-Powered Rambo Prequel!

Noah Centineo; Sylvester Stallone as Rambo. Credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty; Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Sylvester Stallone has opened up about his ambitious plans for a Rambo prequel powered by generative artificial intelligence, offering fans a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been—and why the project was ultimately shelved.

Stallone’s Surprising Vision: The Gentle Rambo

In a candid interview with ScreenRant, Stallone described a radically different take on John Rambo. He imagined the iconic soldier as “the nicest guy in the school, the valedictorian, the prom king, and all that stuff.” His vision was to use AI technology to rewrite Rambo’s backstory, showing him as a bon vivant before the trauma of war transformed him.

Stallone wanted audiences to see young Rambo’s hopeful arrival in Vietnam, expecting a brief tour, only to endure torture, captivity, and the loss of friends. This evolution, Stallone explained, would show how the cheerful, promising youth became the hardened, misunderstood veteran familiar to viewers—a story he hoped to tell uniquely through AI.

Why Stallone Abandoned the Project

Despite the compelling concept, Stallone said he “procrastinated too long, and they took it over,” referring to outside interests seizing control of the idea. He offered well wishes for the future of the project, though his disappointment was apparent. “I hope, you know, good luck,” he remarked, signaling both regret and support for any new creative takes on the franchise.

Sylvester Stallone in a scene from the film 'Rambo III', 1988. Credit: TriStar/Getty

What’s Next for Rambo

The legendary character first appeared in 1982’s First Blood, directed by Ted Kotcheff and based on David Morrell’s novel. Rambo—once a drifting veteran—has since powered four successful sequels, an animated series, and a barrage of video games and merchandise. The franchise’s enduring popularity continues, with a new feature film from Millennium Media currently in development.

Titled John Rambo, the upcoming project will be helmed by director Jalmari Helander, a lifelong fan of the action hero. “It is so surreal to be in a situation where I can actually make my own Rambo movie,” Helander said, expressing childhood dreams come true. The new film, set for release on January 24, 2028, will star Noah Centineo as the titular soldier—a fresh face poised to bring Rambo’s legacy to a new generation.

Streaming and Legacy

Fans can revisit the original First Blood now streaming on Netflix as anticipation builds for Rambo’s return to the big screen. With new creative voices stepping in and technology opening untold possibilities, the saga of John Rambo—and Stallone’s vision for the character—continues to evolve in unexpected ways.