Sylvester Stalloneisn’t backing down from this fight.
The Golden Globe winner, 76, made his feelings known about the recently-announcedDragospinoff of hisRockyfranchisein anInstagram poston Saturday, as he publicly criticized returning producerIrvin Winklerand his longtime friend and former costarDolph Lundgren.
Sharing screenshots of the announcement on Instagram, Stallone called the news “another heartbreaker” amid hisongoing battle for rights to the franchise.
“ONCE AGAIN, IRWIN WINKLER, this PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC VULTURE CHILDREN, Charles And David, are once again picking clean THE BONES of another wonderful character I created without even telling me…” he wrote in the caption.
Stallone followed it up with anotherpost, this time featuring photoshopped images of a vampiric Winkler sucking Rocky’s blood and stabbing him in the back.
“After IRWIN WINKLER And FAMILY SUCK ROCKY DRY!” he wrote. “Presumed to be the most hated, untalented, decrepited [sic], Producer in Hollywood and his cowardly children have found their next meal… Drago, RETURN MY RIGHTS BLOODSUCKERS!”
Mike Marsland/WireImage, Albert L. Ortega/Getty
Reps for Winkler and Lundgren did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
In an article from The Wrap this week, Lundgren, 64, was announced toreprise his role as Russian boxer Ivan Dragoin the upcoming spinoff. He previously teased the possibility last year toThe Hollywood Reporter.
Lundgren originated the role in 1985’sRocky IV, before returning in 2018 forCreed II. The latest installment saw his character help son Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) prepare to fight Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of the late Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), whom Ivan infamously killed during their match inRocky IV.
Stallone has previously fought for his rights to the character and story he created, revealing toVarietyin 2019 that he has “zero ownership” of the franchise. He noted that he was “very angry” and “furious” he wouldn’t be able to leave any equity stake to his children, but he also regretted not pushing hard enough when negotiating the deal for the original movie.
“You don’t want to ruffle the feathers of the golden goose,” Stallone said at the time.
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Earlier this month, the actorcalled out Winkler, 91, who has produced every movie in theRockyfranchise, in a since-deleted post that featured the producer’s head on a snake’s body. “I really would like have at least a little WHAT’s LEFT of my RIGHTS back, before passing it on to ONLY YOUR CHILDREN,” Stallone wrote.
He earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his debut in 1976’sRocky, for both Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. The movie also wonthe Oscarsfor Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing.
Rockyhas since spawned five direct sequels that premiered from 1979 to 2006, as well as threeCreedspinoff movies — with the next installment set to premiere March 3, 2023. Stallone earned another Oscar nomination and his first Golden Globe Award for his return in 2015’sCreed.
Stallone has alsoteased a newRockyfilmin recent years.
source: people.com
