David Harbour to Star in ‘Rambo’

The Rambo franchise is heading back to its roots, and a familiar face from Hawkins is joining the front lines. David Harbour has been announced as a late addition to the cast of John Rambo, an action prequel to the 1982 classic First Blood.

Harbour will step into the iconic boots of Major Samuel Trautman, the Green Beret officer who recruited and trained a young John Rambo. This version of the character, previously made famous by Richard Crenna in the original trilogy, will serve as a mentor and commanding officer during Rambo’s formative years. Starring opposite Harbour is Noah Centineo who starred in Netflix’s The Recruit, and will take on the title role of a younger, pre-PTSD John Rambo.

Directed by Jalmari Helander (the filmmaker behind Sisu), the film is set during the height of the Vietnam War. Helander has teased that the prequel will show a side of Rambo we’ve never seen: a younger, more “okay” version of the character, before the trauma of the war transformed him into the lone-wolf survivor from First Blood.

While Harbour is a late addition to the announcement, the film actually wrapped principal photography in Thailand (standing in for Vietnam) this past March. Fans of the original will be happy to know that Sylvester Stallone is on board as an executive producer, alongside Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame), ensuring the prequel stays true to the character’s legacy.

Since wrapping the final season of Stranger Things, David Harbour has quickly become one of the busiest men in Hollywood. In addition to John Rambo, which is expected to hit theaters in late 2026 or early 2027, Harbour has several high-profile projects in post-production:

• Avengers: Doomsday: Reprising his role as Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian).
• Violent Night 2: Returning as the hammer-wielding Santa Claus.
• Evil Genius: A psychological thriller also slated for a 2027 release.

Reception to the release of another entry to the Rambo franchise has been mixed. While Harbor and Centineo are both strong actors, many fans are concerned about the recasting of the title character. For over 40 years, Stallone has led the role. Audiences often tend to struggle with accepting new characters in iconic roles. Additionally, the last entry in the franchise, Rambo: Last Blood, was not well received by fans or critics, only further adding to concerns. However, Helander has promised that the movie will return to more of the psychological roots of the original, and looks at the story from an earlier perspective rather than adding onto the end of it.