Noah Centineo's 'John Rambo' prequel gets release date for summer 2027

After eight years, the Rambo franchise is officially heading back to theatres with a new face.

Lionsgate has set a summer 2027 release date for John Rambo, a prequel film exploring the origins of the iconic action hero first played by Sylvester Stallone in 1982’s first blood.

According to Variety, the upcoming movie is scheduled to hit theatres on June 4, 2027, placing it in the middle of a packed blockbuster season alongside films like Star Wars: Starfighter and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Rather than continuing the story from 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood, the new film will rewind the clock to before the events of 1982’s First Blood. The original movie introduced audiences to troubled war veteran John Rambo, whose traumatic experiences in Vietnam shaped him into one of cinema’s most recognisable action heroes.

This time around, Noah Centineo is stepping into Stallone’s shoes. He’ll star alongside David Harbour as Major Trautman, with James Franco, Jason Tobin, Quincy Isaiah, Jefferson White and Tayme Thapthimthong also joining the cast.

The film is directed by Jalmari Helander, best known for Sisu, from a script by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. Stallone will remain involved behind the scenes as an executive producer alongside Anthony and Joe Russo.