Sylvester Stallone Explains Rocky Balboa’s Tragic Ending
Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone made a striking confession about Rocky Balboa, one of his iconic characters. The actor stated that the first draft of the Creed film’s script had Rocky dying, but he never entertained the idea. Despite director Ryan Coogler’s insistence, Stallone rejected the character’s death, believing it would be a mistake that would deeply impact audiences.
Stallone: ”Killing Rocky Would Completely Devastate the Audience”
Referring to his past roles in an interview with GQ magazine, Sylvester Stallone revealed that the first script for Creed had Rocky dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Stallone stated, “Ryan Coogler was very convinced of the idea, but I never felt comfortable. Killing this character would completely devastate the audience. It would have been much more meaningful to see him get on a train and drive off.”
The actor stated that the film’s direction changed completely after this decision. Rocky, who could no longer fight in Creed but gained emotional depth as Adonis Creed’s mentor, established a completely different connection with audiences. Stallone said, “In this film, I used my emotions, not my body. That was a different, but enjoyable, challenge for me.”
Stallone also explained why he wasn’t involved in Creed 3. Explaining that the story now focuses on Adonis Creed, the actor said, “At the end of Creed 2, Rocky says, ‘You don’t want me anymore, go your own way.’ That was a moment of handover. It would be pointless to repeat the same story.” The actor emphasized that this approach prevented the character from falling into repetition.
The first Creed film received critical acclaim from both critics and audiences, earning a 95 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most successful films in the series. According to Stallone, if Rocky had died in that film, the future of the franchise and the trajectory of the Creed sequels could have been very different.
Rocky Balboa is still alive in the universe, and while there’s a theoretical possibility of his return in Creed 4, Stallone is currently holding off on the idea. The actor hinted at his farewell to fans, saying, “The character’s mission is complete. Rocky’s story has come to a beautiful conclusion.”
Stillone is determined to keep the Rocky legend alive in another way. The upcoming film, “I Play Rocky,” will tell the behind-the-scenes story of the original Rocky, with Anthony Ippolito portraying the younger Stallone.
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