Sylvester Stallone Slams Drago Spinoff Amid Rocky Rights Dispute – Hollywood Reporter

Sylvester Stallone she has more to say about rocky franchise in light MGM Minor film development focused on Ivan Drago.

Stallone – who wrote the screenplay for the 1976 Oscar-winning film rockyin which he played the boxer Rocky Balboa – take that Instagram Saturday to criticize the planned film Drago Written by Robert Lawton, as reported this week by wrap. Although Stallone did not directly name anyone in his latest post, his mention of a “94-year-old producer” is a clear reference to Irwin Winkler, the 91-year-old credited with producing all the films in rocky Franchise, plus suffix creed Spinoff films.

“Another heartbreaker…just discovered this…again, a 94-year-old Bathy producer and his useless kids once again picking out the bones of another great character!!!” Stallone wrote about him Drago. “Seriously, what does a weasel look like in the mirror???”

The star continued, “I’m sorry to the fans, I apologize to the fans, I never wanted Rocky to be taken advantage of for this greed..#no blemish#sad day#parasite.”

Drago Set to revisit Ivan Drago, photographed by Dolph Lundgren in 1985 Rocky IV And later in 2018 The second creed. Lundgren had previously teased a possible secondary movie In an interview conducted in November 2021 with The Hollywood Reporter.

Follow Stallone’s Instagram Message Last of July 16 who criticized Winkler by name, referring to him as a “remarkably untalented producer of Rocky and Creed.” The post also criticized Irwin’s son David Winkler, who is credited as a producer on creed Including his first movie in 2015 Michael B He earned Stallone a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Balboa.

In a follow-up post on July 17, Stallone wrote that he was troubled by a property dispute related to the franchise. “I would really like to [to] Take back at least a little bit of my rights, before you just pass it on to your kids—I think that would be a fair gesture,” Stallone wrote, directing his barbs at Irwin.

Both of those previous posts have since been deleted.

Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff are credited as the only producers in the top five rocky Movies. 2006 franchise revival rocky balboa Six producers, including David Winkler and Irwin’s other son, Charles Winkler.

The creed The films focus on Michael B Jordan as the son of the late Apollo Creed, filmed in rocky Carl Weathers Movies. Both Stallone and Irwin Winkler are credited as producers on creed Movies like David and Charles, among others. Chartoff was a producer at first creed before his death in 2015.

Last month, Stallone said metro He “withdrew” from appearing in it Third Creed Because of the story’s changing directions but he supported the film. Third Creedwhich will take place in theaters on March 3, 2023, Jordan is considered a director and star.

Rocky Balboa grew up with Stallone rocky The script was in 1976, and his deal stipulated that he would play the title role. Stallone said diverse In 2019 he didn’t have any ownership rockyAnd that he was ‘angry’ about it.

“Our commitment to him was that he could star in it,” Winkler recalls. The Hollywood Reporter In 1983 about making the first rocky with Chartov. “We convinced United Artists to give us the money to make it happen. They were just giving us a limited amount of money, and they said we had to give our homes as collateral. We really pawned ourselves to make sure we delivered on time, and we did.”

Representatives for Irwin Winkler and Stallone did not immediately respond to a request for comment.