Sylvester Stallone is one of our greatest action stars but you also have to give the man credit
for his writing talents. He has written over 45 screenplays and in an interview
on the Unwaxed Podcast with his daughters, he discussed how important writing was as a skill.
And why not? After all, his dedication to improving his writing craft helped
him at one of the toughest moments of his life. He was struggling financially
and wanted to break into the movie business and do something meaningful.
He wrote a screenplay and sold it for a small fortune. He wasn’t a star but
demanded that he play the titular character in the film. That film was Rocky and it’s the
film that launched his career. Yet, 40 years later, he’s now fighting to win Rocky back.
Sylvester Stallone is 76, Look at Him Now After he lost all his money...
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HOW ROCKY CAME TO TOWN
The original Rocky film, released in 1976, was a critical and commercial success and is
widely considered one of the most popular sports drama films of all time – though Stallone himself
doesn’t look at the film as a sports drama film. Rocky won three Academy Awards and this was the
film that made Stallone a star – after several years of struggle. While we all know he shined
as the star of the film, he also wrote the screenplay for this brilliant work of art.
In the early 1970s, Stallone was struggling to make ends meet as an aspiring actor in New York
City. He had been in a few small roles in movies and TV shows but had yet to find any real success.
You may have seen him in “Bananas” trying to beat up Woody Allen or that adult film he did – well,
actually, we hope you didn’t see that one! Anyways, Sylvester Stallone was really
struggling and had a hard time finding meaningful work as an actor. He decided that he had to write
a story for himself. One day, he watched a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner,
a relatively unknown boxer at the time. Wepner was the underdog and lasted 15 rounds with Ali,
which inspired Stallone to write a screenplay about a similar character.
Sylvester Stallone wrote the entire screenplay in just 3 days. He drew inspiration from his own life
and experiences, as well as the people he had met in his struggling actor days. He wanted to create
a character that was relatable and believable, someone who had to fight for everything they
had and was not born into privilege. Stallone faced numerous rejections from
studios when he tried to sell the script. Many producers loved the story but wanted a big-name
actor like Robert Redford or Burt Reynolds to play the lead role. Stallone refused to sell
the script unless he was given the opportunity to play the part himself. After countless rejections,
he finally found a producer who was willing to take a chance on him and the project.
The production of the film was also challenging. The budget was small, and the shooting schedule
was tight. Stallone, who was not yet a trained boxer, had to undergo intensive
training to prepare for the role. He worked with professional boxing trainers and fighters to learn
the sport and get in shape for the film. Despite the challenges, Stallone's
determination and hard work paid off. The Rocky film was a massive success,
earning over $225 million at the box office and winning three Academy Awards, including
Best Picture. Stallone's portrayal of Rocky Balboa became an iconic character in pop culture, and the
film spawned a franchise that lasted decades. As of today, there have been 5 films from the
original Rocky franchise. There was also a spinoff called Rocky Balboa. There have also been 3 films
titled “Creed” about the life of the son of the character Apollo Creed. There’s also an upcoming
film following the life of boxer Ivan Drago, who was Rocky’s opponent in the film Rocky IV.
THE SUCCESS OF ROCKY
The Rocky franchise is one of the most successful and
enduring movie franchises in history – currently worth over $1 billion!
One of the key reasons for the franchise's success is the enduring popularity of its lead
character, Rocky Balboa. While boxing films are a dime a dozen, Rocky still
stands out. It’s also rare to see a boxer who is actually likable. Often, they are arrogant
or unpleasant – as we saw in Raging Bull which was released 4 years after the first Rocky film.
However, Rocky Balboa is a relatable and sympathetic underdog who audiences
root for from the start. He's an everyday working-class guy who is tough but also sweet,
and his story resonates with people who dream of overcoming their own obstacles
to achieve greatness. Rocky is a symbol of hope and perseverance,
and his journey is a source of inspiration for millions. It also showed how Sylvester
Stallone stands out as an actor – one of the few who can combine action and drama together.
Another reason for the franchise's success is its ability to evolve and change with the times. The
later films in the series, such as Rocky III and Rocky IV, leaned more heavily into action
and spectacle, while the more recent entries, such as Creed and Creed II, focus on a new generation
of characters while still keeping Rocky at the center of the story. The franchise has been able
to stay relevant and fresh by reinventing itself and exploring new themes and ideas.
The popularity of the franchise has led to a variety of merchandise and spin-offs,
including video games, comic books, and even a Broadway musical.
But perhaps the most significant measure of the
franchise's success is its impact on popular culture.
The Rocky films have inspired countless people to pursue their dreams and overcome their obstacles.
The iconic "Rocky Steps" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art have
become a pilgrimage site for fans of the films – and perhaps a few
aspiring boxers themselves. The franchise's influence can be seen in other sports movies,
such as Rudy and Remember the Titans, which use similar themes of underdogs and perseverance.
ROCKY’S LOSS
While Rocky is one of the most successful and profitable franchises of all time,
you’ll be shocked to know that he hasn’t profited as much as you think he would.
Sylvester Stallone is the lead actor in the Rocky films and the creator of
the entire franchise – yet he has reportedly lost out on $1.6 billion in profits due to a
controversial contract he signed with production company MGM in the 1980s.
Allegedly, Sylvester Stallone signed a contract after the release of Rocky III in 1982,
giving MGM the rights to distribute and profit from the Rocky films in perpetuity.
This means that MGM and producer Irving Winkler have been able to continue making
money from the franchise without having to pay Stallone any additional royalties or profits.
He apparently signed the contract in exchange for a $12 million payment from MGM, which he
used to fund his other film projects. At the time, Sylvester Stallone did not
realize that the Rocky franchise would become such a huge hit.
Sylvester Stallone has apparently been trying to renegotiate the contract for years in order to
secure a larger share of the profits but has been unsuccessful so far in his attempts.
Because he still has several more film projects coming up,
many fans wonder why it matters so much for him to receive the rights to the franchise. That’s
because he’s thinking about his children and whether they’ll be able to profit from
his hard work once he’s gone. For now, the battle continues. Perhaps this is Rocky’s toughest bout.
SYLVESTER STALLONE’S LEGACY
Despite these setbacks, Sylvester Stallone remains a Hollywood icon to this day. From
his breakout role in Rocky to his memorable performances in films like Rambo, The Expendables,
and Creed, Stallone has become one of the most recognizable and beloved actors of his generation.
In addition, he has been an outspoken advocate for fitness and healthy living
and has used his platform to promote causes like veteran's rights and animal welfare.
Looking ahead, Stallone shows no signs of slowing down. He has several film
projects in the works, including a sequel to Creed and a new film called Samaritan,
in which he plays a retired superhero who returns to action to take on a dangerous
new threat. He’s also appearing in the new show The Tulsa King which
has already become a huge hit and shows that he is still a huge hit with the franchise.
The Creed franchise, which centers on the son of Rocky Balboa's former rival and friend Apollo
Creed, has been a critical and commercial success for Stallone in recent years. One expects Creed
III to be a huge hit. So far, there’s no word on whether he’ll be involved in the upcoming film
Ivan Drago – however, he has criticized his former co-star Dolph Lundgren appearing in this film –
once again feeling that he has been exploited and that Irvin Winkler is living off his creations.
We don’t know what the future will be for Sylvester Stallone and the Rocky franchise.
But what we do know is that he is one of the most popular action stars of all time and even though
he has lost a huge amount of money after signing away his rights, we still expect
for him to make hit after hit. But there’s still a worry that after he goes, his children won’t
be able to profit from the hard work that he put into creating the Rocky franchise.
Are you a fan of Sylvester Stallone? What do you
think about his battle for fighting to get the rights to the Rocky franchise?
In fact, here’s what we’d like to hear from you:
Do you think that there’s going to be a greater push from writers
to own their intellectual property?
Or will we always see the big producers profiting off someone else’s work?