Sylvester Stallone Calls Rocky Rights Holders "Bloodsuckers" in Graphic Social Media Post
Sylvester Stallone hasn't been pulling any punches on social media this week. After blasting Irwin Winkler and his family regarding the ownership rights of the Rocky franchise Saturday night, Stallone shared edited images of Winkler as vampire, sucking blood from the neck of the actor's Rocky Balboa.
"After Irwin Winkler and family suck Rocky dry," Stallone shared on Instagram Sunday afternoon. "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!"
Last week, it was revealed the Rocky franchise was going to expand even further than Creed with another set of spin-offs featuring Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago.
"Throughout history so many artists in every industry, recording, painting, writing, you name it, have been destroyed by these bloodsuckers who have destroyed so many families, lining their pockets with other people! Dolph, why?" Stallone added on Instagram. "Not a phone call? #parasite producers #exploited artists [and] victims."
Despite creating the character and franchise, Stallone has never been granted ownership of the property. Instead, Winkler's production company co-owns the franchise along with MGM.
A third Creed film is currently in the works, though Stallone isn't involved in that production.
"I think that Sly let it be known that he wasn't coming back for this one but I think, you know, his essence and his spirit… there's always going to be a little bit of Rocky within Adonis," Creed producer Michael B. Jordan previously told IGN. "But this is a Creed franchise, and we really want to build this story and this world around him moving forward. So, it's always respect and always a shit-ton of love for what he's built, but we really want to push and navigate Adonis forward and the family that he created." Jordan added, "So hopefully you guys will love what I'm thinking… what we're cooking up. I think it's going to be something special."
Stay tuned for more updates about Drago. Creed III is set to be released in theatres on March 3, 2023.