Sylvester Stallone, 79, wanted to be de-aged for Rambo prequel

He said people thought his idea was ‘crazy’ and it never got off the ground (Picture: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

Sylvester Stallone revealed he pitched his own idea for a Rambo prequel involving artificial intelligence (AI) to de-age the star.

The veteran actor, 79, is the only star to have appeared in all five Rambo films – First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Rambo (2008), and Rambo: Last Blood (2019).

Stallone also co-wrote all five of the hit action films and even directed the 2008 reboot.

An origin story movie, John Rambo, is in the works, said to be focusing on the titular character during the Vietnam War.

Noah Centineo is set to star as Rambo in the film, and although Stallone is not involved in the project, he has shared his idea for a prequel in the franchise.

He told The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast that he pitched an idea to use AI to de-age him back to being a teenager, but that ‘everyone thought he was crazy.’

Sylvester Stallone shared his unique idea for a Rambo sequel during a recent podcast appearance (Picture: David Becker/Getty Images) The actor appeared as the iconic character in all five films of the franchise so far (Picture: CBS via Getty Images)

‘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,’ he said.

He went on to address a new actor taking on his iconic role and how daunting a prospect it would be for them.

‘It’s very, very hard. He may do a stellar job, but you’re overcoming this because I went through it with Get Carter,’ he said.

‘Everyone loves the original, and then you’re always fighting that prejudice.’

On the upcoming prequel, he said he was ‘shocked to read about it’ and has ‘zero to do with it.’

‘Since I lived it, I thought I might be able to participate and give them some insight,’ he added.

Stallone said he was shocked to learn a prequel was in the works (Picture: Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty Images) Noah Centineo is set to play John Rambo in the upcoming prequel (Picture: Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

John Rambo will be directed by Sisu’s Jalmari Helander, according to Deadline, with filming set to begin in Thailand next year.

In a chat with Metro, Stallone recently shared his fears over Tulsa King co-star Samuel L Jackson ‘stealing his scenes’ in the show.

’There’s a real difference in certain elements with certain actors,’ he told us. ‘We have a lot of great ones, but he’s really special.

‘Waiting for him to step on set, it almost feels like a boxer waiting for a really tough opponent – who’s going to throw the first punch? Is he going to try to steal the scene?

‘And then after the first line, you’re in love with each other because you’re just firing. That’s who he is.’

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