Lionsgate Shares ‘John Rambo’ Teaser Poster as Origin Story Enters Production!

The 2008 Rambo went full-blown gonzo with the franchise, but with Lionsgate’s forthcoming John Rambo, I expect the violence to hit slasher levels.

Filming is officially underway on John Rambo, and Dread can share the first piece of teaser art alongside the announcement.

John Rambo is the highly anticipated origin story to the legendary franchise, starring Noah Centineo (the upcoming Street Fighter) as the one-man fighting force, under the direction of the acclaimed, visceral Jalmari Helander. 

If you aren’t aware, Helander is a genre guy and takes his level of violence to near-Terrifier levels. His action-packed Sisu and Sisu: Road to Revenge are must-see splatter spectacles, which make him the perfect director to get behind the camera for Rambo.

“When I was eleven, I saw First Blood for the first time, and it changed my life. Rambo wasn’t just a film to me – it stayed with me growing up and was a defining influence on why I wanted to become a filmmaker,” Helander said in a provided statement.

With John Rambo, the film takes audiences back years before the events of First Blood, diving deep into the roots and experiences that forged one of the big screen’s most enduring and complex characters.

Helander continues: “As we begin production on the origin of John Rambo, we’re going back to the beginning. This is Rambo stripped down, raw, and real – a survival story about endurance, persistence, and lost innocence. It’s an honor to shape this next chapter with deep respect for the character and the legacy, and to bring audiences the start of John Rambo’s journey.”

Centineo will be joined by an exciting ensemble cast including yao (Sinners), Jason Tobin (“A Thousand Blows”), Quincy Isaiah (“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”), Jefferson White (“Yellowstone”), and Tayme Thapthimthong (“The White Lotus”).

Here’s the teaser art.