New Rambo Prequel From Sisu Director

Rambo is poised to make a comeback with a prequel film in development, helmed by Jalmari Helander, the director behind Sisu and Big Game. As reported by Deadline, Millennium Media is introducing the project – titled John Rambo – at the Cannes market.

The Cannes market, which takes place alongside the Cannes Film Festival, is where film projects still securing financing or distribution deals are showcased to potential backers. Millennium Media, the studio responsible for the Expendables and Has Fallen franchises, also produced 2008's Rambo and 2019's Rambo: Last Blood.

Details about John Rambo's storyline remain scarce, except that it will be set during the Vietnam War and serve as a prequel to the 1982 classic, First Blood. Casting has not yet been finalized. According to Deadline, Sylvester Stallone, who originated the role, is aware of the project but is not currently attached.

The script for John Rambo was penned by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani (The Mauritanian, Black Adam), with filming scheduled to begin in Thailand this October.

While a Rambo prequel might seem surprising, Helander's visceral 2023 WWII action film Sisu – which effectively reimagined John Wick as an aging Finnish commando unleashing fury on retreating Nazis – demonstrates he is more than capable of handling the material.