Sylvester Stallone Says He Is Giving Up His Fight for Rocky Ownership

Sylvester Stallone says he is no longer pursuing an ownership stake in the Rocky franchise, despite decades of frustration over having no share in the films or their Creed spin-offs. In an interview with RadarOnline.com, the actor said he had tried repeatedly to change the arrangement, but felt there had been “a lot of maneuvering behind the scenes.” Stallone said he was told that he had already been paid and asked why he was complaining. He recalled being furious at the response. According to the article, he now says he owns “zero” of Rocky and the related Creed films, even though the original movie helped launch his career and the franchise has generated substantial box-office revenue. The actor wrote the first Rocky screenplay in three days while struggling to establish himself in Hollywood. Producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff were interested in buying the script, but Stallone insisted that he play the lead. He recalled that the producers considered established stars including Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, James Caan, Ryan O’Neal and Burt Reynolds before agreeing to cast him. Stallone said he had only $100 at the time and signed a standard agreement that gave him neither ownership nor an equity stake. The article reports that he received $35,000 for the first film. Looking back, he said his inexperience kept him from pressing harder for a share, explaining that he did not want to risk upsetting the people behind the project. Now, half a century after Rocky’s 1976 release, Stallone says he is trying not to dwell on the lost opportunity. He acknowledged that time has passed and said he has been fortunate in his career, even as he described Hollywood as a place where people may act against one another without concealing it.