As part of an extensive feature piece with THR to promote his new TV series “The Tulsa King,” actor Sylvester Stallone has spoken about the “Rocky” franchise which he’s no longer involved in beyond a legal battle.
In July, Stallone made headlines for an Instagram post asking producer Irwin Winkler to give you some of the rights to the character he created. Asked for an update, he says:
“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.
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.”
He goes on to say they wanted another “Rocky”, and he was willing to do it, but 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?”
He confirms he’s patched things up with actor Dolph Lundgren following his post, which referenced a Drago spin-off he was upset about not being told about.
Asked if it is going to be weird to see “Creed III,” a film he has no involvement beyond a producer credit, following his key work starring in the first two (and co-writing the second). He says:
“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. 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.”
“Creed III” will premiere in cinemas on March 3rd. Stallone’s “Tulsa King” will premiere on Paramount+ on November 13th.
