Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo Prequel Casts Controversial Star In Villain Role

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A controversial star has stepped onto the battlefield in John Rambo.

Okay, so a Rambo prequel is happening, and honestly, it’s a bold move. They’ve cast Noah Centineo – yes, the heartthrob from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – to play a younger version of the iconic John Rambo. It’s a big ask, stepping into Sylvester Stallone’s shoes, considering he was Rambo for nearly four decades, starting with the original First Blood back in ’82 and continuing all the way up to the last film in 2019. It’ll be fascinating to see what they do with the character’s origin story.

I’m really excited about Last Blood! It’s fantastic to see Stallone involved as an executive producer. The director, Jalmari Helander – you might know his work on Sisu – teamed up with writers Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, who also worked on Black Adam, to bring this film to life. I have high hopes for it!

James Franco will appear in a small role as a villain in the upcoming John Rambo movie. Filming recently finished in Thailand. He joins a cast including Yao, Jason Tobin, Tayme Thapthimthong, Jefferson White, Quincy Isaiah, and David Harbour, who will play Colonel Sam Trautman – a character previously played by Richard Crenna in earlier Rambo films.

The new Rambo film represents a significant return to Hollywood for Franco, marking his first major role since appearing with Bryan Cranston in the 2016 comedy Why Him? and having a small part in 2017’s Alien: Covenant. He hasn’t had a major television role in over five years, with his last being in the HBO drama The Deuce, which aired from 2017 to 2019.

James Franco rose to fame after starting with smaller roles in the Spider-Man movies directed by Sam Raimi. He then starred in several popular comedies, particularly those with Seth Rogen like Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, This Is the End, and The Interview. He also explored different types of films, including the action movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the intense survival story 127 Hours, which earned him an Academy Award nomination, though he didn’t win (Colin Firth won for The King’s Speech).

As the 2010s ended, James Franco faced increasing controversy. It began with a 2014 incident where a 17-year-old shared screenshots of messages from Franco inviting her to his hotel room – messages he later acknowledged sending. This led to further accusations of sexual misconduct, especially after he wore a Time’s Up pin to the 2018 Golden Globes. Several former colleagues, including Ally Sheedy, Charlyne Yi, and Busy Phillips, publicly shared accounts of inappropriate behavior on set, either hinting at it or directly accusing him.

In 2018, five of James Franco’s acting students accused him of sexual misconduct. Two of those students later filed a lawsuit in 2019, which was settled two years later. Also in 2021, Franco publicly stated he had sexual relationships with students and was receiving treatment for sex addiction, but he did not admit to any wrongdoing regarding the misconduct allegations.

It’s unclear how prominently Franco will be featured in the new John Rambo film, or if his appearance will bring renewed attention to the lawsuit and accusations against him. However, the movie’s success likely won’t be impacted, as Sylvester Stallone has faced similar sexual assault allegations three times in the past. He and his representatives have consistently denied these claims, and he has continued to work in films afterward.

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2026-05-16 17:28