Arnold Schwarzenegger will be seen in theaters later this month in The Expendables 2, but his first starring role will come later this year when he leads the action flick The Last Stand.  Schwarzenegger stars as a sheriff of a sleepy border town who serves as the last line of defense against a drug cartel leader (Eduardo Noriega) headed for the Mexican border.  The first image from the film has gone online, and it's nothing spectacular.  However, if you've always dreamed of what a 65-year-old Schwarzenegger wearing aviator sunglasses looks like, then today is your day (also, you have really weird dreams).

Hit the jump to check out the image.  The film also stars Forest Whitaker, Luis Guzman, Johnny Knoxville, and Jaimie AlexanderThe Last Stand opens January 18, 2013.

Image via USA Today.

last-stand-arnold-schwarzenegger

Speaking to USA Today, Schwarzenegger said "I guess I could have started slow and eased into it, but it felt amazing to be back jumping off buildings, seeing huge explosions, getting in car chases and throwing punches."

However, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura adds that the film doesn't ignore its star's age:

"When he leaps and tackles someone, it's not simple to get back up," di Bonaventura says. "You see a new side of him."

"He doesn't feel indestructible," the producer adds.

It will be interesting to see how Schwarzenegger plays the character since his role in The Expendables 2 seems to be more of the macho cool his fans love.  There's nothing wrong with that Schwarzenegger persona, but I'm curious to see how willing he is to reinvent himself now that he's returned to acting.