Sylvester Stallone isn’t too happy with Rocky producer Irwin Winkler and his sons, Charles and David, over their involvement in a Rocky spin-off they’re making without him, centered on Stallone’s Rocky IV character Ivan Drago by Dolph Lundgren.
Stallone, 76, took to Instagram on Saturday, reacting to a report from The Wrap on Thursday that Robert Lawton has been hired to write the script for a Drago spinoff, which would tell the origins of Ivan Drago.
Stallone has no involvement in this spin-off, calling Winkler “pathetic” and his sons Charles and David “stupid vulture children”.
Spin-off: Sylvester Stallone isn’t too happy with Rocky producer Irwin Winkler and his sons, Charles and David, over their involvement in a Rocky spin-off they’re making without him, centering on Stallone’s character in Rocky IV, Dolph Lundgren. Ivan Drago
Stallone took to Instagram on Saturday, sharing photos of The Wrap headline, as well as a headline from November 2021, when Lundgren teased the possibility of a Drago spinoff.
“Another Heartbreaker…I just found out…NEW, IRWIN WINKLER, this PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC VULTURE SONS, Charles and David, are once again cleaning the BONES of another wonderful character that I create without even telling me.” Stallone began.
“APOLOGY to the FANS, I never meant for the ROCKY characters to be exploited by these parasites…” he added.
Headline: Stallone took to Instagram on Saturday, sharing photos of The Wrap headline, plus a headline from November 2021 when Lundgren teased the possibility of a Drago spinoff
Heartbreaker: ‘Another Heartbreaker… I just found out… ONCE AGAIN, IRWIN WINKLER, this PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC VULTURE SONS Charles and David clean the BONES off another character wonderful that I created without even telling me. Stallone began
He also called out Lundgren, adding, “By the way, I once had nothing but respect for Dolph, but he NEVER talked to me about what was going on behind my back with the character I created for him!!! REAL FRIENDS are more precious than gold.
Stallone wrote and starred in the first Rocky film, directed by John G. Alvidsen, which won a surprising Best Picture Oscar, which Winkler won as a producer.
Stallone wrote, directed and starred in 1979’s Rocky II, 1982’s Rocky III, 1985’s Rocky IV, 1990’s Rocky V and 2006’s Rocky Balboa.
Shoutout: He also called out Lundgren, adding, “By the way, I once had nothing but respect for Dolph, but he NEVER talked to me about what was going on behind my back with the character I created for him!! ! REAL FRIENDS are more precious than gold”
Best Picture: Stallone wrote and starred in the first Rocky film, directed by John G. Alvidsen, which earned a surprise Best Picture Oscar win, which Winkler won as a producer.
He would also star in and produce the 2015 spin-off Creed, directed by Ryan Coogler, and its 2018 sequel Creed II.
He’s also attached to produce Creed III, though it will be the first Rocky film he won’t appear in front of the camera.
Stallone also took to Instagram on Sunday, sharing photos depicting Winkler as a bloodsucking vampire and an illustration that appears to show Winkler and her children stabbing Stallone in the back.
Creed: He would also star in and produce the 2015 spin-off Creed, directed by Ryan Coogler, and its 2018 sequel Creed II.
Vampire: Stallone also took to Instagram on Sunday, sharing photos depicting Winkler as a bloodsucking vampire and an illustration that appears to show Winkler and her children stabbing Stallone in the back.
He also shared footage of himself as Rocky landed punches on Lundgren’s character Ivan Drago, along with a scathing message that he pulled no punches.
“After IRWIN WINKLER AND THE SUCK ROCKY DRY FAMILY! Supposed to be the most hated, talentless, decrepit producer in Hollywood and his cowardly sons have found their next meal… Drago, GIVE MY SUSPENDED RIGHTS BACK !’ Stallone said.
“Throughout history, so many artists in every industry, recording, painting writing, you name it, have been destroyed by these bloodsuckers,” he added.
Rights: “After IRWIN WINKLER and FAMILY SUCK ROCKY DRY! Supposed to be the most hated, talentless, decrepit producer in Hollywood and his cowardly sons have found their next meal…Drago, GIVE MY RIGHTS BACK SUSPEND!’ Stallone said
‘That they have destroyed so many families, lining their pockets with other people! DOLPH, why? Isn’t it a phone call? #Parasiteproducers #exploitedvictimartists,” Stallone concluded.
Lundgren took to Instagram on Sunday, sharing a photo of himself and Stallone throwing punches.
“Just to set the record straight about a possible Drago spin-off. There is no approved script, no deals, no director and I personally was under the impression that my friend Sly Stallone was involved as a producer or even as an actor,” Lundgren said.
Dolph: Lundgren took to Instagram on Sunday, sharing a photo of him and Stallone playfully throwing punches
“Last week there was a press leak that was unfortunate. Contact Mr. Balboa, so all the fans can relax… That’s it,” he concluded.
No plot details were revealed, and it’s unclear whether Lundgren or Florian Munteanu, who played Ivan Drago’s son Viktor in Creed II, will return for the spin-off.
No Details: No plot details were revealed, and it’s unclear whether Lundgren or Florian Munteanu, who played Ivan Drago’s son Viktor in Creed II, will return for the spin-off.