Back in July, Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone made headlines when he took aim at franchise producer Irwin Winkler, and his son David, for not giving him the rights to the character he created. As a result, it appears the legendary actor's time as the iconic boxer has reached a disappointingly definitive end.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter (via ActioNewz.com), Stallone was asked if there's been any change with the situation in recent months, and answered with a definitive "No."
"It’s never gonna happen. It was a deal that was done unbeknownst to me by people that I thought were close to me and they basically gave away whatever rights I would have had," the actor explained. "At the time I was so excited to be working and I didn’t understand this is a business. Who knew Rocky would go on for another 45 years?"
"I’ve never used one [line of dialogue] from anyone else - and the irony is that I don’t own any of it. The people who have done literally nothing, control it."
Asked what prompted his angry Instagram post, Stallone explained that it boiled down to them wanting to move forward with another Rocky project. "I was willing to do it. But I said, 'After 45 years, can we change the playing field a little bit? Level it out? Can’t I get a piece of what I created all these years ago?'"
Clearly, the Rocky franchise's producers didn't want to give the actor what he wanted, though they are free to move forward with new projects without him. For example, there's been talk of a streaming prequel, and Stallone admits it could become a reality (even if he isn't happy about it).
"It may happen again because now Amazon’s involved. It’s pretty close. There’s a side of me that goes: Is this really going to work? Every time you try to do Son of Kong, Son of Tarzan, it doesn’t work. There’s a certain indescribable formula that happens. If I gave you the novel The Godfather, good luck on casting that today. Good luck selling that whole premise today."
Stallone may have made it clear he has little interest in returning to the Rocky franchise, but it is continuing without him. Michael B. Jordan has directed and starred in the upcoming Creed III opposite Jonathan Majors, while there are also tentative plans for Dolph Lundgren to take centre stage in a Drago spin-off.
The Rocky actor has already expressed displeasure about that, though we did later hear that he and Lundgren patched things up. Now, Sly has elaborated on that too.
"This is a classic case of them going around and trying to continually cherry-pick aspects of Rocky without even asking me if I want to join in," Stallone said. "I’m not an executive producer on the Creed movies. [Director] Ryan Coogler is. [Star] Michael B. Jordan is. [Winkler and Chartoff’s] children are. Not mine. I’m the only one left out."
Of course, we know Stallone wants what he feels he's owed for his role in the franchise's creation, something those who hold the rights aren't willing to make happen. As for the next Creed movie, it sounds like the actor has no regrets about not taking part.
"That’s a regretful situation because I know what it could have been. It was taken in a direction that is quite different than I would’ve taken it," he explains. "It’s a different philosophy - Irwin Winkler’s and Michael B. Jordan’s."
"I wish them well, but I’m much more of a sentimentalist. I like my heroes getting beat up, but I just don’t want them going into that dark space. I just feel people have enough darkness."
There's clearly a fundamental difference between how the producers and Stallone view this franchise's future, and whether he likes it or not, it is going to continue without him. Despite Sly's reservations, Creed III looks pretty fantastic, while there's definitely an audience for a Drago-led spin-off.
What are your hopes for the Rocky franchise's future?