Lionsgate’s John Rambo prequel movie is finally gaining momentum, as the film has rounded out its cast alongside leading man Noah Centineo, who plays a young Rambo, with production underway in Thailand.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate has announced John Rambo’s cast now includes Yao, aka Thomas Pang (Sinners), Jason Tobin (Warrior), Quincy Isaiah (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Jefferson White (Hellboy: The Crooked Man) and Tayme Thapthimthong (The White Lotus), all in yet-to-be-specified roles.
John Rambo is helmed by Helander, who worked on both the highly successful Sisu films, with its script written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani (Black Adam). Production on the film is now underway across Thailand, with filming spanning Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Kanchanaburi.
“Rambo wasn’t just a film to me—it stayed with me growing up and was a defining influence on why I wanted to become a filmmaker,” said Helander in a statement. “As we begin production on the origin of John Rambo, we’re going back to the beginning. This is Rambo stripped down, raw, and real—a survival story about endurance, persistence, and lost innocence. It’s an honour to shape this next chapter with deep respect for the character and the legacy, and to bring audiences the start of John Rambo’s journey.”
According to Lionsgate, John Rambo will take the audience back to the origins of Rambo, set years before the events of 1982’s First Blood, which starred Sylvester Stallone in its leading role, one that the legendary action star would go on to reprise across five films.
With Centineo taking over the reins of the now-iconic character, John Rambo is set to dive deep into his roots, covering the experiences that shaped him to become the hardened and complex hero fans know and love.
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