Posted on 10/14/2005 12:52:15 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
His last bout was with his protègè-turned-rival Tommy Gunn in Rocky V.
Now, more than 15 years on - and 30 years since first putting on his boxing gloves - Rocky Balboa is making another comeback.
Hollywood sources confirmed last night that Sylvester Stallone has agreed to star in the sixth instalment of the Rocky saga.
Filming starts in Los Angeles in December and Stallone, who will turn 60 next year, is also lined up to direct.
A spokesman from the star's agent Paul Bloch said: 'There is a script, but it has yet to get the green light.'
This is industry-speak for Stallone being in advanced talks, but having yet to officially announce his commitment to the project.
In Rocky VI, a lonely, poverty-stricken Balboa comes out of retirement and looks to keep his hand in with a few low-profile fights.
But his return to the ring causes a media frenzy and a promoter comes up with the idea that he should fight the heavyweight champion, Mason 'The Line' Dixon.
Stallone is understood to have been back in the gym in preparation for the role.
Although the film is to be made in Los Angeles, it is unclear whether it will be set in Rocky's hometown of Philadelphia. The supporting cast has not been announced.
Rocky will signal something of a renaissance for 59-year- old Stallone, who will turn 60 during filming, and comes as he attempts to revive his other career-defining role, Rambo.
The fourth film in that series is currently in pre-production and will also be produced by Stallone.
The actor became one of Hollywood's highest-paid leading men as the monosyllabic Rocky.
For the first film, in 1976, he was paid just £15,000. But for each sequel he got a huge pay rise - and for Rocky V he earned £10million.
His last role was a cameo in last year's Sky Kids 3. Previously, he had failed to set the box office alight with D-Tox, Driven and the remake of Get Carter.
He went broke in Rocky V.
The funny thing about Francis Ford Coppola is that he always said his hero was Orson Welles. Now, much like his hero, he is reduced to selling wine to make money.
I hear Iron Mike tyson is looking for work.
I guess I don't pay much attentions to the so-called "plots " of anything after Rocky 2. All those sequels were SUCH disappointments. BTW, I was also disappointed that you were not in Godfather 3.
Really, he's only had 4 good movies: The original Rocky and Rambo, Cliffhanger, and Demolition Man. I always thought Stallone should have did a movie with Schwarzenegger, maybe played the villian in T2, but rumor had it that they hated each other up until the mid-90s when both of their stars started to wane.
Nooooo. I loved Rocky and Rocky 2, but this is getting sad.
I'll tell you what Stallone should have played. He should have gotten the film rights to the Mack Bolan-Executioner book series and made a couple of good movies from that.
That has/had the potential to be a good action franchise.
I know he was looking at that character 20 years ago, but nothing ever happened. He still isn't too old to play the guy, as Bolan was written as a Vietnam vet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.