Sylvester Stallone teases the start of Rambo V production with a new social media post. The role of John Rambo is one of Stallone's most popular, second only to Rocky Balboa. He has played the Vietnam veteran four times over the years, most recently in 2008's Rambo.

For years, fans of the Rambo franchise have been waiting for a new chapter, and speculation has been rampant in 2018. In May, it was reported Stallone may both star in and direct Rambo V, and he proceeded to unveil the film’s poster on Instagram with the caption "Something wicked is coming this way.” In addition, fall 2019 was also confirmed as the loose release date. Throughout the summer, more details emerged, most notably that Rambo V would begin filming in September and that Adrian Grunberg (Get the Gringo) would direct. After some further speculation that Rambo V’s production might actually be in trouble, Stallone continued to reaffirm fans with social media teasers.

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On Instagram, Stallone recently teased Rambo V once again by posting a Rambo image and a somewhat cryptic caption. The visual shows a rain-drenched John Rambo holding a machete, with Stallone noting that he's “starting soon” and that “NOTHING IS OVER!” While the post doesn’t directly reference Rambo V, the message is more than clear, and it inspired nearly 200,000 comments in the first seven hours online.

Released in 2008 — a full 20 years after Rambo III — Rambo was made for $50 million and earned over $113 million at the box office. While the worldwide return didn’t match the previous franchise films, it suggested that Stallone was still capable of carrying the franchise, while the Thailand narrative left the door open for a follow-up.

Last month, Rambo V’s first character and plot details were revealed, and the film will indeed pick up where the fourth installment left off. After relocating to the United States, Rambo now lives in Arizona at the family ranch and will team up with a journalist to rescue young women from a sex trafficking ring. Notably, Rambo V will be the first of the franchise films to be set in America since the original, thus allowing the filmmakers to address relevant societal themes. With Stallone as the Rambo V screenwriter, fans can likely expect a mix of traditional action tropes and modern references as Rambo engages with a new gang of villains in the digital age. Rambo V's original subtitle was reportedly “Savage Hunt,” but Stallone and company ultimately decided to keep it simple. The film will undoubtedly appeal to longtime fans, but the true test will be whether Stallone can engage with younger demographics.

More: 12 Facts You Didn't Know About Rambo

We'll keep you updated on Rambo V as more information becomes available.

Source: Sylvester Stallone / Instagram