Stallone’s relentless fight to regain control over his legendary “Rocky” franchise sparks a legal showdown that could redefine Hollywood’s intellectual property scope. This eternal battle pits the talented actor against the studio that once helped elevate him to stardom, as he seeks recognition for his creative contributions.
1. Rocky’s Rights
Did you know Sylvester Stallone does not own the rights to the Rocky franchise? Stallone, the man who brought Rocky Balboa to life, has zero rights to his famous character. Despite both writing the script and starring in the main role.
2. Sylvester’s Opinion
When asked about this, Sylvester stated: “I own nothing of Rocky. I’m just an employee”. But was that true?
3. Young, Dumb And Broke
He had signed away his ownership of the franchise as a young, struggling actor in Hollywood. Sylvester was so broke while filming Rocky that he sold his dog.
4. A Sad Story
In the ’70s, he hit rock bottom, selling his furry companion, Butkus, for just $40 outside a 7-1, proving life’s ruff when hustling to make Rocky. Stallone’s plight didn’t end there.
5. Stallone Wanted Him Back
After selling the script for Rocky, he found himself with a little more cash and the desire to reclaim his furry friend. He splashed out an astounding $15,000 to repurchase Butkus from his new owners. In his own words, Stallone declared it was “worth every penny.”
6. The Legal Batlle
Rocky’s rights have been in the hands of producer Irwin Winkler since the 70s. But this fact wasn’t publicly known until Sylvester took to social media to air his grievances.
7. A Social Media Revenge
He published an Instagram post depicting Winkler as a vampire sucking the life out of Rocky. In the caption, he described Winkler as “presumed to be the most hated, untalented, decrepit producer in Hollywood.”
8. Getting It Back
The post has since been deleted, but more followed. Clearly, the actor no longer hides his frustration over the situation.
9. “Creed III”
Especially with the release of Creed III, a spinoff of the Rocky franchise starring Michael B. Jordan. It tells the story of Adonis Creed, who is thriving in his career and family life.
10. The Cameo
Stallone had cameo roles in the first two Creed movies, appearing as an aging Rocky. But he is absent from the third installment, despite having a producer credit on the film.
11. Forgiving Is Not Forgetting
When asked about this situation, the star stated: “You can’t make peace with someone who’s been so, so nefarious, in my opinion, so horrible”.
12. The Other Side Of The Story
However, from the producers’ side, things sound a bit different. According to Winkler’s memoir, he and Chartoff had a deal with United Artists, a major production company in the US.
13. What’s The Deal?
The deal allowed them to finance a film of their choosing, provided it had a budget of less than $1.5 million. And they had not made a film in 9 months.
14. Risking It All
They chose to make Rocky. It took courage to put their trust in an unknown scriptwriter, but they had faith in his idea.
15. The Producer’s Words
Irwin even stated: “Well I don’t know what a writer looks like but he certainly wasn’t it”. “His body language, it was more like a fighter than a writer”.
16. United Artists’ POV
According to Winkler, United Artists actually tried to get out of the contract by attempting to buy the Rocky script directly from Stallone. It would have been cheaper than financing the film for $1.5 million and allowed them to decide who to cast in the main role.
17. He Wanted The Role
Stallone was offered $300,000 to sell the script to Rocky, to have somebody else be in the role. But he said, “no, it has to be me”.
18. How Much Is It?
The actor ultimately received $75,000 for writing and acting in Rocky. Nonetheless, when the movie turned out to be a sleeper hit, he went on to earn $2.5 million.
19. Awards
The 1976 film won three Academy Awards, including ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Directing’, and ‘Best Film Editing’. Rocky was also nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Original Screenplay’ for Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote the film.
20. Early Years
Stallone became the third person to be nominated for both acting and writing in the same year. But Slyvester’s early life was also marked by difficulties.
21. A Problematic Childhood
He was born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone on July 6, 1946, in New York City. He suffers from partial paralysis in his face, which affects both his speech and facial expressions.
22. Family Ties
The Rambo star comes from a family that doesn’t shy away from the camera. His mother was a celebrity astrologer, Jackie Stallone, and his father was Frank Stallone Sr., a hairdresser who followed creative pursuits like writing and acting.
23. Stallone’s Parents
After immigrating to the United States from Italy as a teenager, Frank Sr. lived a colorful life, opening and running a group of hair salons, and being an avid polo enthusiast who played matches near landmarks like the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
24. Just A Single Mom
The entertainer’s parents divorced when he was pretty young. He and his brother were raised by their mother in a working-class neighborhood.
25. Baby Steps
After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving in New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, he won his first critical acclaim as an actor for his co-starring role as Stanley Rosiello in The Lords of Flatbush.
26. Finally, The Breakthrough
Stallone subsequently found gradual work as an extra or side character in films with a sizable budget. This was until he achieved his greatest critical and commercial success as an actor and screenwriter in the Rocky franchise.
27. Nominations
In 1977, Stallone was the third actor in cinema to be nominated for two Academy Awards for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ and ‘Best Actor’. Sylvester’s film Rocky was even inducted into the National Film Registry and had its props placed in the Smithsonian Museum.
28. Recognition
Philadelphia has a statue of the Rocky character placed permanently near the museum. He was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
29. The Allegations
Throughout his career, Stallone faced rumors and allegations of using steroids to maintain his muscular physique. He consistently denies these claims, but in 2007 he was detained in Australia when customs officials discovered vials of Growth Hormone in his luggage.
30. A Bright Future
He claimed medical necessity and faced no criminal charges. No doubt, we’ll continue to see more of Sylvester on screen in the future.
