Sylvester Stallone sold the rights to ‘Rocky’ in 1976 — 50 years later, he’s done fighting for them

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Film icon Sylvester Stallone is done trying to reclaim the rights to his life-changing “Rocky” franchise.

“My God, I tried,” Stallone said in a new episode of the Power Players podcast with Brian Sozzi (video above; listen below).

Stallone wrote the script for “Rocky” in three days and demanded that he play the lead role. He then sold the rights to producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff. The initial agreement did not reduce his equity stake in the franchise, a long-term asset that he could have passed on to his children after his death.

Stallone has failed to secure a deal for a share in the decades since. The “Rocky” franchise will celebrate its 50th anniversary since its release on November 20, 1976.

“I don’t want to go into detail, but it was pretty closed and there was a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering going on,” Stallone added. “Believe me, I tried because I said, wow, it’s like, can I visit my kid? But you know, time passed and I got very, very lucky. So I try not to dwell on that because the answer is absolutely no.”

There’s really no other way to say it: Stallone earned his place among Hollywood legends through blood, sweat, and tears. That success — ranging from the big-screen films “Rocky” and “Rambo” to the series “Tulsa King,” which returns Friday for its final season on the streaming platform Paramount+ — has come with an equally impressive business backdrop, regardless of whether it owns the rights to “Rocky.”

Recognizing the power of controlling his own intellectual property, Stallone increased his earnings beyond just acting fees – which regularly exceeded between $15 million and $20 million per project – by taking on roles as writer, director and executive producer in his iconic “Rocky,” “Rambo” and “The Expendables” franchises.

In 2018, Stallone created his own media operations by founding Balboa Productions, a film and television company that successfully marketed projects like “Tulsa King” and “Samaritan.”

Beyond entertainment, Stallone has invested in other assets such as real estate and watches.

Brian Sozzi is the editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance, host of the Sozzi unleashed the morning show and Power Actors with Brian Sozzi podcast and member of the Yahoo Finance editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on @BrianSozzi, InstagramAnd LinkedIn. Any advice on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com.

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