Many fans were surprised this week to learn that MGM is developing a new Creed spin-off titled Drago about Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago and his son, played by Florian Munteanu. This group includes Sylvester Stallone, who does not take part in the film and claims he was unaware of it.
Stallone took to Instagram on Saturday night to express his surprise and disgust at the film, which he says was put together behind his back by longtime nemesis Irwin Winkler and his sons. He praises Lundgren, but also feels personally betrayed that his former co-star didn’t tell him about the project.
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“Another heartthrob…” Stallone wrote. “I just found this out… AGAIN AGAIN, that DECLAIMERING 94-year-old PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC USELESS VULTURE CHILDREN, Charles and David, are once again picking THE BONES of another wonderful character I’ve created without even telling myself… I SORRY at the FANS. I never wanted ROCKY characters to be taken advantage of by these parasites…By the way, I have nothing but respect for Dolph, but I wish HE had told me what’s going on behind my back… Keep your REAL friends close.”
This is far from the first time Stallone has voiced his grievances about Irwin Winkler. The actor has long held grudges for not owning any of the rights to the “Rocky” characters, despite creating the entire franchise. Stallone’s contract for the first “Rocky” film paid him a set fee to write and star in the film and a percentage of the box office gross, but no ownership of the intellectual property. This has led to a strained working relationship with the Winkler family over the years, as Stallone was forced to continue working with them if he wanted to continue portraying the iconic character despite frequent creative and business disagreements.
The story goes on
In 2019, Stallone recalled his unsuccessful attempts to beg the Winklers for justice in the franchise: “When I finally confronted them, I said, ‘Do you mind that I wrote every word, I choreographed it? I was loyal to you, I promoted it, directed it and I don’t have a 1% to leave to my kids? And the quote was, ‘You got paid.’ And that was the end of the conversation.”
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