The legend is returning — but not the way you expect. A new Rambo movie is officially in the works, and this time it’s a prequel set during the Vietnam War , chronicling the early days of everyone’s favorite one-man army: John Rambo .

Titled simply Rambo as a working title (because why make it confusing?), the film is being shopped around at the Cannes Film Festival by studio Millennium Media , with shooting scheduled for October . The project will be directed by Jalmari Helander (Rare Exports , Sisu ) and written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Nouraei (Spies in Disguise , Spymaster ).

🇻🇳 What’s This One About?

Spoiler alert: It’s not about a 78-year-old man punching terrorists into orbit.

Instead, this Rambo will explore the origin story of a young soldier in the jungles of Vietnam — think Apocalypse Now , if Captain Willard suddenly decided to stop brooding and start chopping helicopters in half with a machete.

Plot details are scarce, but given the setting and the franchise name, we can safely assume there will be:

• Grenades
• Sweat
• More grenades
• Machetes
• And possibly more sweat

Yes, it’s going to be an action-packed war epic — just without the spandex shorts from Rambo III .

👕 Who’s Playing Young Rambo?

This is where things get interesting.

Sylvester Stallone , who has played John Rambo since 1982’s First Blood , is not involved in the project. Which makes sense, considering he’s 78 and not exactly auditioning for roles that require rappelling off cliffs while yelling “YIPPEE-KI-YAY!”

But guess who he thinks should take over the iconic role?

Ryan Gosling.

That’s right. The guy who played Ken in Barbie , danced through musical numbers in La La Land , and stared intensely in Drive is apparently Stallone’s top pick to play a gritty, blood-soaked, grenade-chucking version of his younger self.

And honestly? We’re not mad at the idea.

Gosling already wore a Rambo-style fur coat in Barbie , and Stallone was originally set to appear in the film before scheduling conflicts got in the way. So maybe this is destiny — or at least good casting karma.

🧑‍🎤 Casting Is Still Ongoing

While Gosling hasn’t been officially cast, the search is on for an actor who can embody the raw intensity, physicality, and silent rage that made Rambo an icon.

It’s a tough act to follow. After all, how do you honor such a legendary character without turning him into a parody?

Still, with the right casting and direction, this could be the reboot the franchise desperately needs — especially after the lukewarm reception to Rambo: Last Blood (which grossed $91M worldwide but left critics cold).

📜 A Legacy That Won’t Die

Let’s not forget — Rambo started with $15M budget and turned into a $125M hit back in 1982. That’s insane ROI, even by today’s standards.

Over the decades, the series expanded into five films , video games (Mortal Kombat 11 , Call of Duty: Warzone ), memes, and countless Halloween costumes. Rambo remains one of pop culture’s most recognizable antiheroes — a lone wolf with a bowie knife and zero patience for bureaucracy.

So yes, the world is ready for a younger, grittier Rambo — and if Ryan Gosling ends up playing him? Well, that might just be the most unexpected casting win since Deadpool & Wolverine .

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