The Rambo prequel movie looks to be gaining steam very quickly as director Jalmari Helander has confirmed when cameras will begin rolling. Development on a new installment has swirled since what was originally planned as Sylvester Stallone’s finale, Rambo: Last Blood, though the prequel route would later be announced in early 2025 with the Sisu director at the helm.
Stallone’s involvement remains to be seen, especially as it will be the first installment not penned by the original star in some capacity, with The Mauritanian duo Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani attached. Progress on the prequel, currently titled John Rambo, began gaining steam a few months later as The Recruit’s Noah Centineo was cast to star as the titular action hero, while Lionsgate acquired the global distribution rights to the film in November.
Now, in an interview with ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns to discuss his latest film Sisu: Road to Revenge, Helander was asked for an update on the Rambo prequel, and whether he is looking at prior movies for potential Easter eggs to include in his. Though he stated that there “will be all kinds of things which I cannot speak [about] at this point”, he did reveal that the filming start date is set for January 26.
With production now set for a late January 2026 start date, that does seemingly rule out the chances of the prequel movie hitting theaters next year. Though the length of time needed to shoot has always varied across the five-film franchise, most Rambo movies have taken a minimum of three months to shoot, with the post-production process requiring at least five months between the end of production and release.
As disappointing as that may be for fans of the franchise waiting for its return, it does come with a few benefits. For starters, Helander, who is fresh off of both of his Sisu movies landing in the high-90 percentile on Rotten Tomatoes, can have more time to ensure that the script and editing are in the best place possible before putting the film out to the public.
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This would be a big boon to the Rambo prequel’s chances of success when considering the range of reception it’s received across its prior five films. Apart from the 1982 original, which has a “Certified Fresh” approval rating of 86% from critics on RT, every subsequent Rambo movie has garnered mixed-to-negative reviews, with the lowest being Last Blood. As such, the extra time could see Helander deliver the best since the original, and lay the groundwork for future installments.
Not rushing John Rambo out to its release could also see the movie release in time for a major franchise milestone. Should the studio wait for late 2027, they can bring the prequel to theaters in time for the 45th anniversary of First Blood, while also establishing a step up in early box office competition, given the only current major release in that window is The Batman Part II. But regardless of what the filming start date may mean for its release, the Rambo prequel getting cameras rolling soon should mean fans of the character will get their first glimpse at Centineo’s version sooner than later.