Sylvester Stallonetook his friends advice on a rewrite of the original screenplay toRocky.
A few tweaks later, he was on his way to major success.
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She goes, I hate Rocky.
ROCKY, Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, 1976United Artists / Courtesy: Everett Collection
He beats them up.'
Stallone took it to heart, and asked what he could do to soften the character.
I said, what if you stop short of it?
Like, maybe he almost did.
He could have, thats his job, but he doesnt?
Thatd be nice,' he added.
I said, What if he had a girlfriend or something?
Yeah, thats nice.
So I go back, start writing that: Girlfriend.
$117 million in box office later, a franchise was born.
Stallone also revealed that actor Dolph Lundgren sent him to the hospital during one fight scene inRocky IV.
Dolph Lundgren… he pulverized me, Stallone says in the documentary.
Stallone was in the hospital for nine days following the incident, praying for one more round.
For the first minute of the fight, it is going to be a free-for-all, Stallone told Lundgren.
I did what he told me.
I did hit a bus, of sorts, Stallone joked.
