Millennium Media has tapped Noah Centineo to play a young John Rambo in a newly green-lit origins film tentatively titled “John Rambo,” according to people familiar with the deal. The project will be directed by Jalmari Helander, best known for the 2022 action thriller “Sisu,” from a screenplay by writing duo Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. The prequel is set during the Vietnam War and aims to explore the formative years of the iconic soldier first introduced in 1982’s “First Blood.” Production is expected to begin in early 2026 in Thailand, with Lionsgate in pole position to secure distribution rights, the sources said. Franchise creator and longtime Rambo star Sylvester Stallone is aware of the project but is not involved. Last year Stallone publicly floated Ryan Gosling as his preferred successor, but industry backers ultimately opted for Centineo, who has built action credentials with roles in “Black Adam” and Netflix’s “The Recruit.”