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Sylvester Stallone Says He First Turned Down Creed Over Script That Killed Rocky

He tells GQ he only agreed to return once Ryan Coogler rewrote the part to keep the character alive.

Overview

  • In a newly reported GQ interview, Stallone says he rejected the Creed pitch for two to three years.
  • The early draft had Rocky diagnosed with ALS and dying on-screen, according to Stallone.
  • He says killing the beloved boxer would have disappointed audiences and he resists ending legacy characters that way.
  • Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington rewrote the storyline to a survivable non-Hodgkin lymphoma arc, enabling a mentor role that emphasized dramatic acting.
  • Stallone’s performance earned a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nod, the series expanded through Creed III, and Creed IV is in development with Michael B. Jordan set to star and direct without a release date.