Sylvester Stallone compares career to 'speeding train whipping by' that left him with no time for anything else
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sylvester Stallone, in an emotional trailer for his upcoming Netflix documentary, 'Sly',, the legendary actor known for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa, reflects on his 50-year career and the regrets that haunt him. The teaser begins with Stallone expressing his regrets, stating, "Do I have regrets? Hell yeah, I have regrets.”
He contemplates whether it is healthier to live under the illusion of potential greatness or to have the opportunity for greatness and then realize one's own failures. Comparing his career to a speeding train, he emphasizes the fleeting nature of life, saying, “That’s what your life is — whipping by. It’s gone' as the camera shows scripts for Rocky and Creed”.
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‘Filmmaking comes at a great price’
Interspersed with shots of scripts from the Rocky and Creed films, Stallone reflects on the sacrifices that come with filmmaking, noting that it leaves no time for anything else, even as he pans to a shot of him with his wife Jennifer Flavin and daughters. He said, ‘Filmmaking, it comes at a great price. There’s no time for anything else”.
Discussing the documentary, Stallone remarks on using events in his own life as inspiration, saying, “Nothing inspires you than taking your history, balling it up”. The synopsis of the documentary promises an intimate look at Stallone's journey as an action star, paralleling his underdog-story with the memorable characters he has portrayed throughout his career, from Rocky to Rambo to The Expendables.
Stallone was born to be an actor
Over four decades ago, Stallone made a splash in Hollywood with his portrayal of Rocky Balboa, an Italian American boxer from South Philadelphia. The ‘Rocky’ films went on to achieve immense box office success, grossing nearly $2 billion. However, Stallone does not own the rights to the beloved character.
The documentary sheds light on Stallone's ongoing battle over the rights to the 'Rocky' and 'Creed' franchises with producer Irwin Winkler and his family. Stallone publicly criticized them, referring to the situation as the "real Rocky horror show" in social media posts.
Aside from the 'Rocky' series, Stallone's filmography includes successful movies such as 'Rambo', 'Cobra', 'Tango' and 'Cash', 'Cliffhanger', 'Demolition Man', 'The Specialist', and his self-created franchise, 'The Expendables'. In recent years, he made a triumphant return to the ‘Rocky’ series with ‘Creed’, earning a Golden Globe award and an additional Oscar nomination. Since 2022, Stallone has also starred in the television series 'Tulsa King' for Paramount+.