Sylvester Stallone (Part 2)

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15 Feb 2024

Sylvester Stallone (Part 2)

Sylvester Stallone's career continued to flourish in the late 1970s and 1980s with a series of successful films across various genres.
In 1978, Stallone made his directorial debut with "Paradise Alley," a family drama about three brothers involved in professional wrestling. He also starred in Norman Jewison's "F.I.S.T." that same year, playing a character loosely based on James Hoffa, and wrote, starred in, and directed "Rocky II," the highly successful sequel to the original "Rocky."
The following year, in 1981, Stallone starred in "Escape to Victory," a sports drama alongside Michael Caine and soccer star Pelé, and the thriller "Nighthawks," where he played a New York City cop.

In 1982, Stallone achieved critical and commercial success with "First Blood," in which he portrayed Vietnam veteran John Rambo. The film, adapted from David Morell's novel, launched the popular Rambo franchise. Additionally, Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in "Rocky III," another box-office hit.
In 1983, Stallone directed "Staying Alive," the sequel to "Saturday Night Fever," starring John Travolta. Though the film was a critical failure, it was commercially successful.
Throughout the 1980s, Stallone was regarded as one of the biggest action stars globally, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. He continued to star in successful films like "Rocky IV" and "Rambo: First Blood Part II," both of which were box-office hits.

Despite his action star status, Stallone occasionally ventured into other genres, such as comedy, as seen in the 1984 film "Rhinestone," where he co-starred alongside Dolly Parton.
Overall, the 1980s were a period of immense success and prominence for Sylvester Stallone, solidifying his position as a Hollywood icon.

In the mid-1980s, Sylvester Stallone was set to star in a remake of the classic film "Angels With Dirty Faces" as part of his multi-picture deal with Cannon Films. However, the decision to remake such a beloved classic was met with criticism, leading Cannon to instead produce the action film "Cobra," which became a box-office success in 1986. This success prompted Stallone to establish his production company, White Eagle Enterprises.
In 1987, Stallone starred in the family drama "Over the Top," playing a struggling trucker who reconnects with his estranged son through arm wrestling. Despite poor reviews, the film failed to perform well at the box office.

The following year, Stallone co-starred with Kurt Russell in the buddy cop action film "Tango & Cash," which fared better both domestically and internationally, grossing over $120 million worldwide.
During the 1980s, Stallone also ventured into boxing promotion, establishing Tiger Eye Productions and signing world champion boxers Sean O'Grady and Aaron Pryor.
Moving into the 1990s, Stallone starred in "Rocky V," the fifth installment of the Rocky franchise, which was directed by John G. Avildsen. However, the film was considered a disappointment both critically and commercially.

Stallone's fortunes improved with the success of "Cliffhanger" in 1993, an action thriller directed by Renny Harlin, which grossed over $170 million worldwide. He followed this with another hit, "Demolition Man," co-starring Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock. The film debuted at No. 1 at the box office and received moderate critical acclaim.
In 1994, Stallone starred in "The Specialist," alongside Sharon Stone, which, despite negative reviews, was a commercial success, grossing over $170 million worldwide.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Stallone's career saw its share of highs and lows, but he remained a prominent figure in Hollywood with several successful films under his belt.

In 1995, Sylvester Stallone portrayed the title character in the science fiction action film "Judge Dredd," based on the British comic book "2000 AD." Despite its poor performance at the domestic box office, Stallone's international appeal helped salvage the film's financial outcome, with a worldwide gross of $113 million. Stallone subsequently signed a lucrative three-picture deal with Universal Pictures, becoming one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood at the time. However, the deal expired in 2000 without Stallone making any films under it, resulting in no payment.

That same year, Stallone appeared in the thriller "Assassins" alongside Julianne Moore and Antonio Banderas. Additionally, he made a cameo appearance in the short comedy film "Your Studio and You," directed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which satirized Hollywood culture and featured an all-star cast.
In 1996, Stallone starred in the disaster film "Daylight," playing a disgraced former emergency services chief who leads a rescue mission after an underground tunnel explosion. While the film underperformed domestically, it performed better overseas, grossing a total of $158 million worldwide.

The following year, Stallone took on a role against type in the crime drama "Cop Land," portraying an overweight sheriff alongside Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. The film received critical acclaim and was a modest success at the box office, earning Stallone praise for his performance and winning him the Best Actor Award at the Stockholm International Film Festival.
In 1998, Stallone provided voice-over work for the computer-animated film "Antz," which was well-received domestically and contributed to its success at the box office. Throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, Stallone diversified his roles and continued to remain a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.

In 2000, Sylvester Stallone starred in the thriller "Get Carter," a remake of the 1971 British film of the same name. Unfortunately, the film received poor reviews from both critics and audiences, contributing to a decline in Stallone's career. This decline continued with subsequent films such as "Driven" (2001), "Avenging Angelo" (2002), and "D-Tox" (2002), all of which were critical and commercial failures.
However, Stallone experienced a resurgence in 2003 with his role as a villain in the third installment of the "Spy Kids" series, titled "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over." The film was a significant box-office success, grossing almost $200 million worldwide. Additionally, Stallone received praise for his supporting role in the neo-noir crime drama "Shade," which, although released in a limited fashion, garnered positive reviews from critics.

During this period, Stallone was also attached to star and direct a film tentatively titled "Rampart Scandal," centered around the murder of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. and the surrounding Los Angeles Police Department corruption scandal. However, the project was later shelved.
In 2005, Stallone co-presented the NBC reality television boxing competition series "The Contender" alongside Sugar Ray Leonard. He also made a guest appearance in two episodes of the television series "Las Vegas." Additionally, Stallone inducted professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame, having offered Hogan a cameo role in "Rocky III," in which Hogan portrayed a wrestler named Thunderlips.
August of the same year saw the release of Stallone's book "Sly Moves," which served as a guide to fitness and nutrition while offering insights into his life and works from his perspective. The book included numerous photographs of Stallone throughout his career and detailed exercise routines.