Lionsgate is moving in on the Rambo and Expendables franchises. They’ve made a deal with Millennium Films that brings the rights to develop and produce all derivative works, including future film and television productions, of the Expendables franchise. The deal also includes worldwide distribution rights to John Rambo, the upcoming prequel to the Rambo movies. The other big part of this agreement is that Noah Centineo is in final negotiations to star in the title role with Sisu director Jalmari Helander to direct.

Lionsgate is now partnered with Millennium on all future Rambo television projects moving forward and includes the opportunity for the studio to participate in future movies. They also hold the rights to develop works based on The Expendables that includes “derivative films and television series, video games, immersive experiences and other cross-platform extensions of the action juggernaut,”.

Production begins next year in Thailand with pre-production already underway.

“This deal expands Lionsgate’s portfolio of genre-defining action franchises and reinforces our commitment to delivering world-class IP across multiple platforms,” Lionsgate COO Brian Goldsmith said in a statement. “We’re excited to reimagine both ‘The Expendables’ and ‘Rambo’ across film and television — and with John Rambo, we’re bringing together a bold creative team to reinvent a classic character for a new generation of fans.”

“We’ve always believed in the enduring power of these franchises, and this partnership gives them the scale, creative support and global reach they deserve,” Millennium president Jonathan Yunger added. “Lionsgate’s strong track record with major action properties makes it the ideal partner to help shape the next chapters of ‘The Expendables’ and ‘Rambo.’”

John Rambo will be produced by Millennium Media and Templeton Media, from a screenplay by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. Kevin King Templeton, Les Weldon and Yunger will produce, while Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk of Bonfire Legend will executive produce.

We’ll keep you updated on all things Expendables and Rambo.

For more on Movies, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.

Keep Reading:

Takashi Yamazaki Returns To Write And Direct ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’