Sylvester Stallone Reveals Rambo’s Shocking New Look For ‘Rambo 5’ Sequel Film

Sylvester Stallone is giving a first look at the new Rambo, and it’s not what fans expected. The 72-year-old actor is set to reprise his famous role as troubled Vietnam War veteran John Rambo for a fifth film in the action movie franchise. Stallone posted two Instagram pictures of his iconic character dressed in surprising cowboy garb as filming began on Rambo 5, teasing, “Tonight we start filming…!”

Stallone used the hashtag #Rambo5 on two photos, the first which shows him wearing a plaid shirt, cowboy hat, tan gloves, and chaps. In a second surprising post, the actor is wearing a black cloak and a black brimmed hat as he rides a horse. The new look is nothing like Rambo’s past looks set in the jungles of South East Asia.

Fresh off of his Rocky fame, Sylvester Stallone first portrayed the John Rambo character in the 1982 film First Blood. Three years later the actor reprised his role in Rambo: First Blood Part II then went on to play him in 1988’s Rambo III and 2008’s Rambo.

In 2008, Stallone told Parade he thinks Rambo represents “the males in society today who are quite pent up, holding it all in.”

“If you express yourself too much, you’re considered weak,” the actor said. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities for that rite of passage that makes you a man. War is one of them and violent sports are another.”

Stallone also talked about filming 29 nights in a row in a rainy jungle for the fourth Rambo film, noting, “what comes out after two hours of a downpour in the jungle — more snakes and vermin and giant centipedes than you can imagine.” Perhaps that’s why his character now sits atop a horse.

You can see Sylvester Stallone’s surprising new photos of Rambo below.

In May, Sylvester Stallone confirmed that a fifth film in the action franchise, Rambo 5, would be released in Fall 2019. The film, which will have Rambo taking on a Mexican drug cartel, will be directed by Adrian Grunberg, per the Hollywood Reporter.

Stallone previously teased that something would be different about Rambo. Last month, he posted a throwback Instagram pic of himself getting thrown off a horse, captioning it with, “Hang on! Rambo will be saddling up soon!”

Of course, one thing about Rambo will remain the same: Dude is fit, even in his 70s. Last week, Stallone posted a video of one of his intense workout sessions in which he did curl-ups while throwing a ball at a target.

“Leaving to start Rambo in about five days!” the actor captioned the post. “Even though I hate it, all serious and balanced strength starts with the abs…Fire in the gut!”

Ahead of the Rambo 5 release, fans can see Sylvester Stallone as he reprises his other famous role, as retired boxer Rocky Balboa, in the film Creed 2, which is scheduled for a Nov. 21 premiere.