Lionsgate Reportedly Casts Noah Centineo as the New Young Rambo

Well, here's something no one had on their 2025 bingo card: Noah Centineo, yes, the charming rom-com guy from To All the Boys I've Loved Before and The Perfect Date, is reportedly stepping into the combat boots of a young John Rambo in Lionsgate's rebooted franchise.

According to industry chatter following Lionsgate's acquisition of full Rambo rights, the studio plans to relaunch the series with a prequel-era film focusing on Rambo's early years in Vietnam. The project is being described as "a grounded origin story exploring how an idealistic young soldier became the mythic one-man army we know."

Centineo might sound like an odd pick for a character once defined by Sylvester Stallone's quiet intensity, but insiders claim Lionsgate wants to modernize the archetype, moving away from '80s machismo and toward more psychological realism.

As of now, Stallone isn't attached as an actor, but he's expected to serve as an executive producer, with creative oversight on tone and authenticity. (Translation: no one's remaking Rambo II without Sly's blessing.)

The Internet, predictably, is divided. Some fans think it's a gutsy move; others say Centineo's casting is Hollywood's latest attempt to "Gen Z-ify" a boomer icon. Either way, the idea of turning Rambo into a prestige-style prequel has people talking, and that's exactly what Lionsgate wants.

Whether Centineo can trade his Netflix-boyfriend image for grit, grime, and emotional depth remains to be seen. But if he can pull it off, it could be his biggest transformation yet.