Sylvester Stallone Reveals His Wild ‘Young Rambo’ Idea Using AI and De-Aging Tech: “Everyone Thought I Was Crazy”

ylvester Stallone says he once pitched a bold idea for a Young Rambo movie that would have used artificial intelligence and de-aging technology to bring him back to his Vietnam-era look.

Speaking in a recent interview, Stallone revealed that a few years ago he suggested making the origin story himself, but with the help of advanced tech.

“Everyone thought I was crazy,” he admitted. “AI is sophisticated enough to go through Saigon to see him at 18 years old and basically use the same image. So it isn’t as big a stretch.”

Stallone also admitted he was surprised when he found out about another film in development that covers the early days of his most famous characters.

Asked about a project from Peter Farrelly, Stallone said, “I was shocked to read [about] it. I have zero to do with it.” He added that his own memoir, The Steps, which tells the story of his early struggles in New York, might have given him a chance to offer some insight, though the script for that film is already written and he was not consulted.

Meanwhile, Millennium Media has confirmed that a new Rambo prequel is officially moving forward. The movie will focus on John Rambo’s time during the Vietnam War. Finnish filmmaker Jalmari Helander, known for Sisu and Rare Exports, is directing, with actor Noah Centineo cast as a young Rambo.

Helander called the project a dream come true, saying, “I have been the biggest fan of Rambo since the age of 11. It is so surreal to be in a situation where I can actually make my own Rambo movie. The chain of events that got me here makes, in a fantastic way, my whole childhood make sense. I can’t wait to bring the greatest action hero back to the big screen where he belongs.”

Stallone, however, doesn’t see taking over his role as an easy task for any actor. “It’s very, very hard. He may do a stellar job, but you’re overcoming this because I went through it with ‘Get Carter.’ Everyone loves the original, and then you’re always fighting that prejudice,” he explained. He compared it to being “the son of Tarzan” or “the son of King Kong.”

For now, Stallone is letting other filmmakers handle the prequel stories for both Rocky and Rambo, while he stays focused on his own work. His series Tulsa King is heading into its fourth season on Paramount+, and his memoir The Steps is on the way.

Even though he won’t be involved in the upcoming Rambo prequel, Stallone continues to shape his legacy in his own way, whether Hollywood takes his AI idea seriously or not.

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