Director
Jalmari Helander revealed that he received a message from
Sylvester Stallone after the film was announced in the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Stallone wanted to give some advice on the character of John Rambo, emphasizing vulnerability. Helander understood this right away. Despite its Vietnam War background, his prequel film is not a political or historical treatise. It's a story of what war can do to a man.
