Lionsgate has secured a major rights deal with Millennium Media for new entries in the “Rambo” and “The Expendables” franchises.
Lionsgate will take global distribution rights to Rambo prequel “John Rambo” with Noah Centineo (“Black Adam,” “The Recruit”) in final negotiations to star in the role made famous by Sylvester Stallone.
Finnish director Jalmari Helander (“Sisu”) is set to direct the film which will shoot in Thailand next year with sales launching at the American Film Market in Los Angeles next week.
Lionsgate will also take the lead producing role on any future “Rambo” television titles.
Next, the company has secured the rights to develop and produce all future derivative works based on “The Expendables” franchise – be it more sequels, TV series incarnations, video games or immersive experiences.
Lionsgate was the distributor of all of “The Expendables” films in North America and the U.K., and the fourth and fifth “Rambo” movies in North America.
Millennium remains one of the last major indie production groups still financing and producing action films outside of the system – but theatrical returns for old-school action movies aren’t proving so reliable these days.
Source: THR
