Legendary actor and filmmaker, Sylvester Stallone, has been a part of the entertainment industry for a very long time now. The actor has starred in over 75 movies but his performance in the Rocky franchise made him a household name.
In 2022, the actor talked about not being involved in Creed III. He also felt left out when he got to know about the existence of a spin-off movie about Ivan Drago called Drago. Stallone, who played the iconic character of Rocky Balboa in the previous Creed films, has expressed his disappointment at not being a part of the third installment in the past.
Sylvester Stallone was not involved in Creed III
In a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actor Sylvester Stallone talked about not being involved in Creed III and also explained that Dolph Lundgren didn’t tell him about the spin-off film, Drago. The actor said,
“The Dolph thing, again. This is a classic case of them going around and trying to continually cherry-pick aspects of Rocky without even asking me if I want to join in. I’m not an executive producer on the Creed movies. [Director] Ryan Coogler is. [Star] Michael B. Jordan is. [Winkler and Chartoff’s] children are. Not mine. I’m the only one left out.”
Despite his disappointment, Stallone seemed to be supportive of the franchise and its cast and crew. He praised the lead actor, Michael B. Jordan, who also serves as a producer for the film, and expressed his admiration for director, Steven Caple Jr.
The actor explained how he feels about not being in the film
Further in the interview, Stallone was asked if it will be weird for him to watch Creed III without being a part of it. The actor replied,
“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.”
It is very disappointing for the fans to see that Stallone, who kicked off the franchise, is no longer a part of the future of the franchise.
Also read: “You send out David. I’ll send out Goliath”: Sylvester Stallone’s $300M Rocky 4 Really Upset Russia
The first Rocky movie was released in 1976
Sylvester Stallone first played the role of Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976). The movie was widely praised by critics and audiences alike. It managed to get ten Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Picture, Best Director for John G. Avildsen, and Best Film Editing.
Stallone’s absence from Creed III may have disappointed some fans, but it’s clear that he has moved on and is looking forward to new projects. His legacy as Rocky Balboa will always be remembered.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
