Bloodied and beaten: Robert Pattinson loses his Twilight gloss as he faces a menacing gun-toting Guy Pearce in new film still for The Rover

For years he has long been associated with his famous dreamy vampire character Edward Cullen in the Twilight movie series.
But now the the films have come to an end, Robert Pattinson is breaking into more grittier role.
In his new movie The Rover, the British heartthrob loses his Twilight gloss and is totally transformed to play a criminal.

Bloodied and beaten: Robert Pattinson faces a menacing gun-toting Guy Pearce in a new film still for the upcoming Australian film, The Rover

In a new still for the film, obtained by Entertainment Weekly, the 26-year-old is unrecognisable, bloodied and beaten as he faces a  menacing gun-toting Guy Pearce, whom he co-stars with in the Australian flick.
As Guy holds a pistol to his face, Robert's character looks terrified as he reveals a severely injured and bloody face.
Also noticeably absent is his longer auburn locks, which have been shorn short for the movie role.
For his new role, Robert plays a petty criminal who sets out in the Australian outback (set in the near future) in search of fortune in some of the country's still profitable gold mines.

Dreamy: For years Robert has long been associated with his famous dreamy vampire character Edward Cullen in the Twilight movie series

Gnarly gnashers: Robert revealed a pair of rather nasty rotting teeth as he filmed scenes for his new movie alongside Pearce in the Australian outback last Tuesday

'It’s like a new gold rush,' explains Animal Kingdom director David Michôd of the film. 'Where people from all corners of the world have come out to the desert to scrape out an existence.
'Petty criminals and miscreants and hustlers.'
Meanwhile, Pearce's character is just as fierce as he looks in the promotional picture for the film.

Make under: The Twilight hunk has been given a make under for the film in which he plays a criminal

Rotten: Robert appears to have been fitted with a pair of false teeth which are discoloured, crooked and cracked

'The basic story is really quite elemental,' says Michôd. 'You’ve got a really dark, dangerous, murderous person in Guy’s character, and in Rob’s character you have a quite troubled and damaged, but beautiful and naïve, soul.'
Michod says he is already well aware that many will draw comparisons of The Rover to another famous Australian film, Mad Max.
But he says that his new thriller is set to be much more chilling and menacing. 

Shorn: The British actor has also shaved his head for the film - his longer auburn tresses now super short

Spot the difference: The actor has a body double, left, who is a dead ringer for the star, right

'You put cars in the desert in Australia and people are going to think of Mad Max,' he says.
'And with all due respect to that film — and I stress that — I think The Rover is going to be way more chillingly authentic and menacing.'
In the new feature, it's not just Robert's hair which was been altered. 

Intense scenes: Last week, Robert was also seen filming some dangerous car ride scenes with Pearce, whom he is said to have formed a close bond with

Dirty: Rob was covered head to toe in dirt for his day of filming

Last week, the handsome Hollywood heartthrob revealed a pair of rather nasty rotting teeth as he filmed scenes alongside Pearce in the Aussie outback.
Robert appears to have been fitted with a pair of false teeth which are discoloured, crooked and cracked.
The prosthetic totally transforms the Twilight hunk's look as soon as he opens his mouth in the scenes.

Bushy: Guy also has been given a make under and was sporting a bushy beard

During his day of filming, Robert was also joined by his body double.
The pair were seen wandering around the Adelaide set in the same pair of dirty denim trousers and black printed T-shirt.
While Rob's doppelganger is a little more on the muscular side, with his facial hair and shaved head he is a dead ringer for the star.

Balancing act: Stunt doubles drive a car on it's side in scenes for the action-packed movie

Creepy: An extra is tied to a cross with a hessian bag over their head in other scenes

Throughout the day, Robert was also seen filming some dangerous car ride scenes with Pearce, whom he is said to have formed a close bond with.
The plot of the movie tells the story of Eric (Pearce), a lone traveler in the Australian desert who is forced to pursue a ruthless gang of criminals after they steal his car.
Along the way, Eric enlists the help of Reynolds (Pattinson), described as 'the naïve and injured junior member of the gang' who was left behind after a robbery.

Rest stop: The co-stars also film inside an outback cafe

Michod wrote the film based on an idea conceived with Joel Edgerton, who stars in Zero Dark Thirty and the upcoming Great Gatsby alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
Pattinson has already filmed several fight scenes for the movie, which is said to feature 'gruelling action'.
Shooting, which is taking place in several areas of the Australian outback, is said to be going for seven weeks and is expected to finish in mid-March, according to Variety.

Run down town: A deteriorating building is also part of the set