Sylvester Stallone shared some first look photos from the set of Rambo 5 as the latest entry starts filming. Just like the title of Rambo’s iconic theme music, it’s been a long road to the new sequel. Following the success of 2006’s Rocky Balboa, Stallone revived his other most famous character Rambo for a sequel of the same name. That entry saw the Vietnam vet recruited to rescue some missionaries in Burma, and the movie’s violence and relentless pace saw it become another hit.

Talk of Rambo 5 quickly followed, but Stallone’s original idea of having Rambo tasked with chasing down a feral monster created by the government was met with ridicule by fans. He later conceived of a story where Rambo comes out of self-imposed exile to rescue a friend’s daughter from a sex trafficking ring in Mexico, but Stallone soon became busy with The Expendables series and Rambo 5 fell into development hell for a number of years. The actor even declared he’d never play the character again as recently as 2016, but it appears he’s had a change of heart in that time.

Related: Rambo 5: Sylvester Stallone Goes Back To The Jungle In Video

Stallone has been hard at work getting back into killer shape for Rambo 5, which has just started filming. Now the social media savvy actor has shared a first look at Rambo direct from the set to his Instagram, with the legendary soldier sporting an entirely different look than fans are accustomed to. He's also lost his trademark long hair.

The previous movie ended with Rambo finally going home after decades away and making peace with his violent past. The upcoming Rambo 5 will see the character dusting off his knife and going back to his old ways for one final mission, and while the final title isn’t yet confirmed, it’s rumored the movie will be called Rambo: Last Blood.

In addition to Rambo 5, Stallone is having a very busy time with sequels. He reprised his role in Escape Plan 2 earlier this year alongside Dave Bautista, and Escape Plan 3: Devil’s Station is set for release in the near future. Creed 2 will arrive in cinemas in November, which sees Rocky coming face to face again with old rival Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who also killed Apollo Creed in the ring. Additionally, Stallone is due to start filming The Expendables 4 in early 2019. Still, with Rambo 5 filming now starting, fans can expect more behind the scenes looks at Stallone's iconic character in the coming weeks and months.

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Source: Sylvester Stallone