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Sylvester Stallone’sRockyfranchise has evolved into a cultural phenomenon since its inception in 1976. Audiences were not only interested in Rocky Balboa’s journey but also in the exceptional characters that graced the franchise. One such character who left an impact was Ivan Drago, a Soviet boxer who fights against Stallone inRocky IV, played by Dolph Lundgren.
Rocky IVgave Dolph Lundgren, a Swedish actor, his breakthrough in Hollywood. Since then Lundgren has an impressive portfolio of over 80 films and he collaborated again with the Rambo actor forThe Expendables. However, their relationship hasn’t always been smooth.
Also Read:“I see myself subsidizing films”: Sylvester Stallone Couldn’t Keep His Own Words After Rocky Success, Instead Tried to Build His Own Avengers With Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sylvester Stallone Yelled At Dolph Lundgren On The Sets OfThe Expendables
Sylvester StalloneandDolph Lundgrenwere Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago off-screen as well. The two actors seemingly disliked each other. Almost four decades have passed sinceRocky IVand the actors still have their differences like in the 90s. Lundgren commented on this rivalry in an interview with Variety that they were like family who had both good and bad times.
Lundgren was part of the ensemble cast for Sylvester Stallone’sThe Expendables. TheAquamanactor played one of the mercenaries on Stallone’s team. However, the filming of the 2010 movie saw some ugly scenes brewing between theEscape Planactor and Lundgren. Stallone reportedly yelled at theCastle Fallsactor and subjected him to 20 takes for a scene. Lundgren recounted:
“It was like, ‘My grandmother could do it better than that. What the fuck, what are you doing?’ You know, basically in front of everybody. And there was press there that day too, international press. We took a lunch break and I remember I was kind of in tears. I was really upset. I called my wife that time and I basically just told her, ‘If he says one more word, I’m gonna knock him out and fuck this movie, I’m outta here. I’m just gonna punch him out and fucking leave.'”
However, theTulsa Kingactor apologized for the whole incident and Lundgren also forgave Stallone for his “crazy Italian” behavior, as he called it.The Punisheractor later reprised his role as Gunner Jensen in theExpendablessequels and is set to reprise the role once again in the upcomingExpend4bles.
Also Read:“I’m going to jump off a building if I’m not in it”: Not Rambo, Sylvester Stallone Wanted to Kill Himself if He Didn’t Bag $1.7B Franchise That Saved Him from Poverty
Sylvester Stallone Also Lashed Out At The Ivan Drago Spin-Off
Sylvester Stallone was not happy when news leaked about aRockyspin-off centered around Ivan Drago. The 77-year-old actor, in a now-deleted Instagram post, raged against theRockyproducer Irwin Winkler. TheSamaritanactor accused the producer and his “selfish useless” children of exploiting yet another greatRockycharacter.
Reportedly, Stallone was not informed of discussions regarding the spin-off, and he was not for the idea, considering the franchise is already focused on developing theCreedmovies. TheDemolition Manactor also took a dig at Dolph Lundgren commenting,“Dolph, why? Not a phone call?”
Stallone further conveyed his disappointment at theIcarusactor in another Instagram post, sharing that Lundgren went behind his back for the project and that’s not something real friends do. However, theMissionary Manactor clarified that there was nothing official about the spinoff and that he was under the impression that Stallone would be involved in the project.
Also Read:“I couldn’t even get casted as an Italian”: ‘The Godfather’ Severely Punctured Sylvester Stallone’s Confidence in His Acting Career
The two actors still remain friends and have mutual respect for each other, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be another beef coming up in the future between these senior actors.
Source:Variety
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
