Sylvester Stallone is doing the media rounds to promote Tulsa King season three, and was asked what his thoughts are on Noah Centineo, the actor who is believed to be playing a young John Rambo.
When confronted with the notion of turning 80 next July, during a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Stallone responded with his typical good humor, “It must be a mistake,” he joked to his questioner, Jessica Moore.
Of course, Sly has plenty to be happy about. While the third season of the incredibly popular “Tulsa King” on Paramount+ premiered just days ago, it has already been renewed for a fourth series. And that’s not the only Stallone project that continues to spawn spin-offs and sequels. With six Rocky movies, three Creed spin-offs, four Expendables released (and counting), it appears that Rambo could get a sixth instalment, with a prequel movie and an actor already chosen to play the young soldier, potentially taking place before or during the Vietnam War.
Noah Centineo Has Been Cast as “Young Rambo”
“I don’t know much about the young man,” explained Stallone when asked about the casting of Noah Centineo, who’s credits include Black Adam (2022) and the upcoming Street Fighter movie. “But it’s going to be quite a challenge,” expanded Sly, perhaps reflecting on the many stunts that he performed himself during the last five instalments. You see I had an idea for that too,” said Stallone, who had pitched an AI driven movie that could de-age the original actor. While that idea was ultimately rejected, the challenge that Centineo will face in order to fill Stallone’s combat boots will be massive. “It’s very, very hard,” Stallone told Variety in another recent interview. “He may do a stellar job, but you’re overcoming this because I went through it with Get Carter (originally starring Michael Caine). Everyone loves the original, and then you’re always fighting that prejudice.”
Still, Sly wished the best for the young upstart. “I think he could be fantastic, I really do,” he explained, noting that his vision for the younger character was that John Rambo was a popular guy, great at college sports, and a straight-A student before the war broke him down and turned him “into this havoc machine.”
The Rambo character was first created by David Morell in the novel, First Blood, and became an iconic figure in 1982 thanks to Stallone’s portrayal, which provided a masterclass in both emotion and physicality. While critics and fans may debate the quality of the more recent Rambo movies, the series has generated over $800 million dollars worldwide.
Tulsa King season three, starring Sylvester Stallone and also introducing Samuel L. Jackson to the franchise, is streaming now on Paramount+. Jackson will then headline a spin-off series called NOLA King coming in 2026. The Rambo prequel is expected to begin filming in Thailand next year too.