James Franco Lands Major Hollywood Comeback With First Big Studio Role In Years

A new Rambo movie has reportedly wrapped filming in the jungles of Thailand, and fans of the long-running action franchise are now waiting to see how the prequel will revisit the story made famous by Sylvester Stallone.

But John Rambo is not the only familiar name being discussed. The movie is also bringing James Franco back into a major Hollywood franchise after years away from big studio projects.

Franco, known for films like Spider-Man and Pineapple Express, has not appeared in a major Hollywood blockbuster for close to a decade, making this casting a notable step in his screen comeback.

Franco is not expected to lead the prequel. Instead, Variety reports that he has a small villain role in John Rambo.

Noah Centineo is set to play a younger version of John Rambo, stepping into the role first made iconic by Stallone in the 1982 film First Blood.

The cast also includes David Harbour as Major Trautman, Rambo’s commanding officer, while Finnish filmmaker Jalmari Helander is directing the prequel.

Sylvester Stallone's Rambo is one of the most iconic action figures of all time unset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Franco’s return has already divided people because of the sexual misconduct allegations made against him in 2018 and 2019.

Several former female acting students accused him of sexual misconduct and exploitation, with some describing his acting school as a pipeline where young women were pushed toward nude scenes and uncomfortable sexual situations. Franco later settled a civil lawsuit in 2021 for a reported $2.235 million, according to People.

In December 2021, Franco admitted that he had slept with students from his acting school and said he had used his fame in a way that was wrong, while also saying he believed at the time that the encounters were consensual.

He said: "I suppose at the time, my thinking was: If it's consensual, it's OK."

After the accusations, a number of people in Hollywood distanced themselves from Franco, including his longtime collaborator and friend Seth Rogen.

Franco has spent much of the last several years away from major studio films, taking on smaller projects, including European productions, while speaking more recently about trying to live a quieter and more positive life.

In 1982's First Blood, Rambo is forced to flee a cruel police department while suffering with PTSD CBS via Getty Images

The new film will take audiences back before the events of First Blood, where Rambo was introduced as a Vietnam War veteran struggling with trauma after returning home.

The prequel is expected to explore a younger Rambo and his time around the Vietnam War era, though Helander has not revealed every detail about what fans will learn from the character’s earlier life.

Franco spoke about the project while attending the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week with his girlfriend, Izabel Pakzad. At the time, he said he had recently finished filming a part in a "big studio movie," which was later confirmed to be John Rambo.

Although Franco did not initially name John Rambo himself, his comments lined up with reports about his role in the prequel.

He also gave a rough idea of when audiences might see the finished film, saying it "won't be ready for this summer, but my guess is it will be end of this year or spring-summer 2027."

That means Franco’s Hollywood comeback may not arrive on screens right away, but the casting has already placed him back at the center of a major film-industry conversation.