James Franco Returns as Villain in John Rambo Prequel

James Franco is officially back — and he’s playing the bad guy. The actor, who has been largely absent from major Hollywood productions since a sexual misconduct scandal upended his career in 2018, has joined the cast of John Rambo, the Lionsgate prequel to the classic Sylvester Stallone franchise. According to Variety, which first reported the news, Franco has a small role as a villain in the film.

The timing is hard to miss. Franco was spotted at the Cannes Film Festival this week — attending the opening ceremony with his longtime girlfriend Izabel Pakzad, then turning up at the Chopard dinner and the party for Club Kid — when he quietly hinted to Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye that he’d recently wrapped something big. “It won’t be ready for this summer,” he said, “but my guess is it will be end of this year or spring-summer 2027.” He didn’t name the film. Now we know.

He also pushed back on the narrative that he’d gone into hiding. “It’s not true I’ve been hiding out,” Franco said. “I’ve been here the last three or four years running, selling things and they treat me well and I get to go and see great movies.”

The Cast Coming Together Around Noah Centineo

Franco joins a cast that’s shaping up to be one of the more intriguing ensembles of next year. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before star Noah Centineo is playing a young John Rambo — a role that will inevitably invite scrutiny, given that no one other than Stallone has ever occupied it on screen. David Harbour (Stranger Things) was recently cast as Commanding Officer Major Trautman, the role originated by the late Richard Crenna. Rounding out the ensemble are Yao (Sinners), Jason Tobin (A Thousand Blows), Quincy Isaiah (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Jefferson White (Yellowstone), and Tayme Thapthimthong (The White Lotus).

Behind the camera, Finnish director Jalmari Helander — who made the relentlessly entertaining Sisu — is helming the project. The screenplay was written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. And the producer lineup carries some serious weight: Anthony and Joe Russo, fresh off Avengers: Doomsday, are among the executive producers, alongside Stallone himself, who is producing on a Rambo film for the first time. The franchise has grossed over $819 million worldwide, and Stallone has been involved in every chapter — contributing to scripts, directing 2008’s Rambo, and starring in all five films.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson put it plainly: “Sylvester Stallone knows the character of John Rambo better than anyone, and Lionsgate has had the good fortune of partnering with Sly for more than 20 years on this legendary IP. His participation is the final, critical piece to John Rambo.”

Franco’s Road Back to Hollywood

Before the scandal, Franco was one of the more versatile actors of his generation — the Variety exclusive notes his work in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, The Disaster Artist, 127 Hours, and Pineapple Express. Then, in January 2018, a Los Angeles Times report detailed allegations from five women who accused him of sexual misconduct — four of them students at his now-defunct Studio 4 acting school, and one who described him as a mentor. Franco denied the specific allegations at the time. A lawsuit followed in 2019 and was settled for more than $2.2 million in 2021. Later that year, Franco admitted to sleeping with students and said his actions were “wrong.”

The fallout was swift and lasting. His friendship and working relationship with Seth Rogen — a collaborator on some of his biggest comedies — was damaged. His HBO series The Deuce wrapped its final episodes in fall 2019, and that was essentially it for major studio work. He continued acting, mostly in Italian productions, but the Hollywood door had been firmly shut.

At Cannes, Franco said he had been focused on living a “positive life” and acknowledged that the accusers had raised important issues about abuse of power within the industry — a carefully measured statement that stops short of the fuller admission some might expect, but signals he’s at least aware of what’s required to re-enter the conversation.

John Rambo doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, and plot details beyond the origin-story premise remain under wraps. But with production wrapped in Thailand and a cast this stacked, Lionsgate clearly isn’t treating this like a gamble. Whether audiences feel the same way about Franco’s involvement is another question entirely — and one that will only get louder the closer this thing gets to release.