Sylvester Stallone is a movie legend and a Hollywood staple. He is best known for his roles in the Rocky and Rambo series, two of the greatest action films ever. Stallone has had a fruitful career in show business, but he isn’t without his share of regrets.
The actor recently admitted that he turned down a $34 million paycheck to reprise his role as Rambo in a sequel. And to rub salt in the wound, Sylvester Stallone accepted the role in Rambo IV for the insultingly low sum of $16 million.
Sylvester Stallone’s $34 Million Payday
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sylvester Stallone revealed that he had rejected a $34 million paycheck for Rambo IV, which would now amount to $85 million. Stallone was confident Rambo III would be a huge success while he was filming it. According to industry estimates, the franchise’s third film’s production budget was between $58 and $63 million.
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Stallone received a massive paycheck for his role in Rambo III, making him the highest-paid actor of the 1980s. The actor claims that Carolco Pictures approached him about making Rambo IV after the third film’s release.
Stallone declined the “pay or play” offer of $34 million. However, he realizes now that it was a bad choice and acknowledges the high price he paid for it.
“For real. That’s not a joke. Oh boy, what an idiot.”
Sylvester Stallone eventually agreed to do Rambo IV even though he had initially turned down a $34 million paycheck. He accepted a humiliatingly low salary of only $16 million, a fraction of the initial offer.
Although $16 million is certainly not a small sum, it pales compared to the potential $34 million Stallone would have received if he had accepted the offer.
Sylvester Stallone: Not Among The Highest-Paid Actors
Stallone could have been one of the highest-paid actors if he had taken the initial offer of $34 million for Rambo IV. The purchasing power of $34 million in 1988 was roughly $85 million in 2017. Consider that $85 million is more than some actors make in a lifetime of work. Even by Hollywood standards, that is a ridiculously large sum of money.
Of course, monetary concerns aren’t irrelevant. The franchise was affected by Sylvester Stallone‘s decision to decline the offer for Rambo IV. The fourth film was produced, but audiences or critics not as well received it as the preceding entries in the series.
Some fans and critics feel that Rambo III was a fitting conclusion to the series. Sylvester Stallone’s choice affected his professional life as well. He has worked consistently in Hollywood since the ’80s and ’90s but has never again enjoyed the same success.
The actor’s refusal to accept the huge payday for Rambo IV has been cited as a major mistake from which he has never fully recovered. Even though he eventually accepted the role for a significantly reduced salary, it’s obvious that the lost opportunity still hurts.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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