Phil Roberts 
Look out, Rambo fans, because David Harbour has joined the cast of the John Rambo prequel as Major Trautman.
It’s been a minute since we heard new details about the long-gestating Rambo prequel. Titled John Rambo, the project raised a few eyebrows when Lionsgate announced the film, which at the time did not have Sylvester Stallone’s blessing. However, in the months that followed, the studio made concessions to the Hollywood legend, who has since signed on as an executive producer. Stallone’s participation guarantees some much-needed continuity for the franchise and adds a stamp of approval for the film moving forward.
However, with Noah Centineo now cast as the titular hero and the film now fully in production, the project is moving along the assembly line at a steady pace. And today, we are hearing that David Harbour has joined the project as Major Sam Trautman, Rambo’s legendary commanding officer.
SAMUEL TRAUTMAN
For those unfamiliar with the character, Samuel Trautman was Rambo’s commanding officer throughout the Vietnam War and led his squad of Green Berets in some of the most daring battles of the conflict. It was Trautman’s training and brutal survival techniques that allowed Rambo to endure some of the most hellish conditions throughout his exploits. In the original film series, the character was portrayed by the late, great Richard Crenna, who quickly became a staple of the series. So it is wonderful to see an actor of David Harbour’s caliber slip into Crenna’s shoes to bring the character to life in the prequel.
A PREQUEL
The film is designed as a prequel set before the events of First Blood, with Rambo fighting in the Vietnam War. It is directed by Jalmari Helander and is based on a script by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. Helander has teased that this will be a different Rambo than the one we’ve come to know. “Of course, it’s different, because we’re gonna start in a place where everything is basically pretty okay for Rambo,” he said. “He’s happy and younger and all that, because we are telling the origin story. What would happen to him? Why did he become that kind of dude that we’ve all seen in First Blood? So it’s different.“
ARE AUDIENCES READY FOR A NEW RAMBO?
This is brilliant news. Although I have never supported the idea of a Rambo prequel, it is wonderful to see the creatives behind the project working so tirelessly to cast quality actors to bring it to life. However, the film’s biggest hurdle is Rambo himself. Audiences have associated Sylvester Stallone with the character for more than four decades, and I, for one, cannot see anyone but him as the titular hero. No disrespect to Noah Centineo, but when an actor cements himself as a Hollywood icon for a particular role, it’s an uphill battle to change that perception.
It’s like Alden Ehrenreich replacing Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Yes, Ehrenreich did a fantastic job, but the fanbase never truly accepted him as Han Solo. Additionally, remakes of 80s classics rarely set the blue touchpaper alight and usually fade into obscurity, so Jalmari Helander has a massive job on his hands.
RELEASE
Whether the director can duck the trend and deliver a transformative movie that the fans can get behind remains to be seen. Still, with Sylvester Stallone now supporting the film and the talents of Noah Centineo and David Harbour in front of the camera, the director has all the ingredients for a modern-day classic. In the end, the proof will be in the pudding. But I remain skeptical.
That said, it is great to see David Morrell’s original novel explored in greater detail and expanded upon through the war that shaped a legend. Rambo’s legacy has always been defined by the all-guns-blazing adventures that followed Morrell’s original story. But now, fans can look forward to reuniting with the original character who endured a war and suffered from a crippling post-traumatic stress disorder that was barely understood at the time. This will be a grounded, more character-driven Rambo, and after buckets of blood and bullets, it’s a welcome change. Good luck, Jalmari Helander. We will be watching!
John Rambo is now in production from Lionsgate.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
