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Considered one of the most popular movie franchises, the Rocky franchise earned over $1.7 billion at the box office and created a market for Rocky movie memorabilia. Although many people know about Rocky Balboa, a washed-up fighter who gets an opportunity to fight for the title, few know about the struggles the actor Sylvester Stallone faced behind the making of the movie.
The Inspirational Story Behind the Making of “Rocky”
In the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone did not have much success, and for the most part, he was an unknown actor trying to make his way to Hollywood. With minor success in “The Lords of Flatbush,” Stallone only had a few cents to his name and barely made ends meet. During an interview with Michael Watson, Stallone shed light on how he had hit rock bottom, especially after he sold his beloved dog as he couldn’t afford to feed him.
A Fateful Night at a Boxing Match That Would Change Stallone’s Life for Good
By chance, Stallone had found his way to a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, one of the four fights in which Ali got knocked down in the ring.
Although Wepner lost the fight in the fifteenth round, he knocked Ali down, proving that it was possible to knock down the greatest fighter of all time.
Stallone Writes a Script That Would Set the Motion for the Rocky Franchise
Watching the boxing match, Sylvester Stallone felt inspired by Wepner’s resilience. He decided to write a script about a washed-up fighter who would finally stand up to life, take his opportunity at the title, and go the distance. By the end of the third day, Stallone had already written a 90-page movie script.
Stallone Refuses a $360,000 Offer from the Producers at a Casting Call
With the winning script held close in his arms, Stallone went to a casting call where he let the producers have a peek at it.
After reading the script, the producers expressed how they liked the story and would offer Stallone $360,000 to sell the script to them as they didn’t want an unknown actor to be the face of Rocky Balboa.
Persistent Toward His Goals Eventually Gets Him the Lead Role
Stallone was completely broke at the time, and as tempting as the offer was, he refused it, knowing well that the script had potential and he could become a star if it succeeded.
He took a massive risk by turning down the $360,000 offer, insisting he had to play the lead role. Eventually, the producers gave Stallone a measly budget of a million dollars, who set off to cast his friends and family and use handheld cameras to shoot the movie.
A Lackluster Response Turns into Global Success as Audience Chants “Rocky”
The screening at The Director’s Guild received a lackluster response. At the time, Stallone thought he had blown his chance of redemption as people started walking out of the theater.
Humiliated by the response, he walked down three flights of stairs, thinking of how his life would be following the screening. However, as he exited the theater, the audience was waiting for him with thunderous applause, something that he was not expecting.
Despite the low budget and the initial response at The Director’s Guild, Rocky became a household name and broke records. It made cinematic history by grossing more than $200 million and receiving nine Oscar nominations with an Academy Award win for Best Picture.
The movie propelled Stallone to stardom and, to this day, the original film where a washed-up fighter, Rocky, steps into the ring, continues to inspire a generation of underdogs to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.
Looking for Rocky Movie Memorabilia to Add to Your Collection? Browse Our Store!
If you want to own Rocky memorabilia and get inspired, browse our extensive collection of Rocky collectibles and new items. From signed movie scripts to photos, boxing gloves, and more, we have a vast collection of Rocky Memorabilia on our site for you to start building your collection or adding to your collectibles.