Sisu Director to Helm Rambo Origin Film

Rambo is making a dramatic comeback with a prequel project from Jalmari Helander, director of Sisu and Big Game. According to Deadline, Millennium Media is currently pitching the film – titled John Rambo – at the Cannes market.

The Cannes market runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, serving as a global marketplace where unfinished film projects seek financing and distribution deals. Millennium Media, the studio behind franchises like The Expendables and Has Fallen, previously produced 2008's Rambo and 2019's Rambo: Last Blood.

Details about John Rambo's storyline remain scarce, though reports confirm it will explore the character's Vietnam War origins as a prequel to 1982's seminal First Blood. No casting decisions have been finalized. While original star Sylvester Stallone is reportedly aware of the project, Deadline notes he isn't currently involved.

The screenplay comes from writing duo Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani (The Mauritanian, Black Adam), with production slated to begin in Thailand this October.

While a Rambo prequel might seem unexpected, Helander's credentials suggest a perfect match. His 2023 WWII action thriller Sisu – essentially a Finnish spin on John Wick featuring a grizzled commando hunting Nazis – demonstrated his mastery of visceral, high-octane action sequences.