EXCLUSIVE: Sylvester Stallone 'Raging' He Couldn't Get This Huge A-Lister to Play 'Rambo' As Action Franchise Gets Yet Another Reboot
Sylvester Stallone raged after a top Hollywood star rejected the lead role in the new Rambo reboot, insiders said.
Aug. 20 2025, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Sylvester Stallone is "secretly raging" his first choice to play Rambo in the reboot of his action franchise wasn’t signed up to the upcoming movie, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 79-year-old actor, who embodied the battle-scarred Vietnam veteran John Rambo for almost four decades, had hoped to hand over the role to Ryan Gosling, 44.
Desire For Ryan
Sylvester Stallone is furious Ryan Gosling didn’t land the Rambo reboot role.
Instead, producers have cast Noah Centineo, 29, in a reboot set to chart a young Rambo's experiences in the Vietnam War.
A source told us: "Sly had his eye on Ryan for years to take the part, and thinks he would have been a far better fit than Noah. He’s basically raging it’s going ahead without a Hollywood heavyweight attached."
Producers cast Noah Centineo instead of Stallone's first choice.
Speaking last year on The Tonight Show, Stallone recalled how Gosling had confessed to being obsessed with the character as a child – which made him want to "hand the baton" of the Rambo part to the star.
Sly said: "(Ryan) goes, 'I was fascinated by Rambo, and I used to go to school dressed as Rambo and people would chase me away and I still didn't stop.' He just kept saying that he had a lot of affiliation with Rambo, and I thought, 'This is interesting. If I ever pass the baton, I'll pass it on to him because he loves the character.'"
Another source close to the actor also told us: "Sylvester was raging when he found out the studio had gone with Noah instead. He felt Ryan brought a depth and edge that would have honored the legacy, while Noah – in his eyes – just doesn't carry the same gravitas. It's not personal against Noah, but Sly's fiercely protective of Rambo."
Centineo, known for To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Black Adam and The Recruit, will lead the new film, scheduled to begin production in early 2026 in Thailand.
Jalmari Helander will direct from a screenplay by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, with Lionsgate tipped to distribute.
The Franchise History
Stallone believed Gosling had the depth to honor Rambo’s legacy.
The franchise began in 1982 with First Blood, which became a box office success despite mixed reviews.
Stallone's Rambo went on to feature in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Rambo (2008) and Rambo: Last Blood (2019).
The final outing saw the character take on Mexican cartel traffickers to rescue a kidnapped young woman, but it was met with heavy criticism – including from First Blood author David Morrell, who tweeted on release day: "I agree with these RAMBO: LAST BLOOD reviews. The film is a mess. Embarrassed to have my name associated with it."
An industry insider said: "Sly sees Rambo as more than an action hero – he's a symbol of survival and grit. Ryan Gosling would have approached it from a place of reverence and brought some gravitas to it after all the criticism the franchise has received, and that's what Sly wanted. The decision to go with Noah was seen as chasing a younger demographic, but that's not the audience that built the Rambo legacy."
Stallone's Disappointment
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Stallone remains protective of the iconic character he created.
Stallone has made no public criticism of Centineo, but those close to him say the disappointment is "stinging."
Another source said: "He understands the business logic, but he's old-school.
For him, the casting isn't about who's trending – it's about who can carry the emotional weight of the character.
He thought Ryan was the perfect fit."
