Sylvester Stallone came out swinging in a new Instagram post that calls out Rocky producer Irwin Winkler for holding onto the ownership rights of the boxing franchise. Alongside a highly problematic portrait of Winkler as a serpent with a literal dagger for a tongue, Stallone blasts the 93-year-old producer for not giving him an equity stake in the iconic films that put Stallone on the map. The actor seems to be particularly miffed that the rights will go to Winkler’s children and not his own.
Via Instagram:
After IRWIN controlling ROCKY for over 47 years , and now CREED, , I really would like have at least a little WHAT’s LEFT of my RIGHTS back, before passing it on to ONLY YOUR CHILDREN – I believe That would be a FAIR gesture from this 93 year old gentleman ? … This is a painful subject That eats at my soul , because I wanted to leave something of Rocky for my children.
Stallone ends the post with a message thanking fans of the beloved film series. “It’s always great hearing from the loyal fans,” the actor wrote. “Keep punching.”
According to Variety, Stallone has become increasingly vocal in recent years about his lack of an equity stake in the Rocky films. The situation apparently worsened after he was basically told to he happy with the money he got. Shortly after voicing those concerns, he bowed out of participating in Creed III.
“I have zero ownership of ‘Rocky,’” Stallone said in 2019. “It was shocking that it never came to be, but I was told, ‘Hey, you got paid, so what are you complaining about?’ I was furious.”