Even though it’s been four decades since he originated the role, Sylvester Stallone was ready to portray Rambo one more time.
During a conversation on The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast, the Tulsa King actor revealed that he pitched his potential return to the film franchise. Instead of following up after the events of 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood, Stallone wanted to partake in a prequel project that would feature an 18-year-old John Rambo. And, yes — he wanted to play a young Rambo, with the use of de-aging AI technology.
“Everyone thought I was crazy,” Stallone said of the pitch. “AI is sophisticated enough to go through Saigon to see him at 18 years old and basically use the same image. So it isn’t as big a stretch.”
While Stallone wanted to take on the role again, Noah Centineo is reportedly set to play the character in a Rambo prequel film. Of another actor taking on one of his iconic characters, Stallone warned that it’s incredibly tough to take on an already originated role, similarly to when he starred in the 2000 Get Carter remake.
“It’s very, very hard. He may do a stellar job, but you’re overcoming this because I went through it with Get Carter,” he added. “Everyone loves the original, and then you’re always fighting that prejudice.”
Of the potential for a Rambo prequel, Stallone told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 that he believed the movie was “getting close,” while offering a few ideas he had for the project.
“I think it’s going to happen,” he said. “I wanted to do it like a Ken Burns documentary on Vietnam, where you drop young Rambo in there and he’s this outgoing guy, football captain, and then you see why he becomes Rambo. But what they want to do is a modern-day story where I pass the torch. That’s getting close.”