The career-defining role of Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa wasn’t just about his acting abilities. It was about his relentless determination to succeed on his own terms. Stallone wrote the script for Rocky when he was struggling to find acting roles, and he poured his heart and soul into the character. However, when he approached studios with the screenplay, they were hesitant to cast him as the lead.

They offered him a substantial amount of money to let them film Rocky but without him in the leading role. Despite this, Sly would reject the offer and gamble on himself which would pay out massively for the Hollywood star.

Sylvester Stallone reveals how he rejected a $265,000 to play Rocky

In an interview in 1997, Stallone revealed that the Rocky producers offered him $265,000 to not play the role of Rocky. However, he rejected the offer and instead made a deal to get the profits from the movie, betting that it would be a success.

“It went up to about $265,000 to stay away. But what they didn’t count on is, when a person hasn’t had that type of money, they really don’t miss it. In other words: if you haven’t ridden in a Rolls-Royce, you don’t mind bouncing around in a Volkswagen. But more than that if I sold it, even for $500,000, I knew that after the money was gone I would become very bitter for having sold out,” he said.

Sly’s conviction paid off as Rocky was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $225 million worldwide and winning three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film launched Stallone’s career and made him a household name. Moreover, the movies would also contribute to his now $400 million net worth.

How much did Stallone make from the Rocky and Creed franchise

Sylvester Stallone has continued to profit from the Rocky franchise, having contributed to the franchise massively. He received a base salary of $35,000 for Rocky which was increased to $2.5 million with backend percentages accounted for, as reported by Screenrant.

Stallone received a $75,000 salary for Rocky II and an increase to $120,000 for Rocky III, as reported by Variety. As the franchise grew in popularity, Stallone’s salary also increased significantly. For his role in Rocky V, he received a whopping $15 million. Moreover, he added an additional $2o million for his role in both Creed movies. Despite this, Stallone did not feature in the third film due to issues regarding the movie rights with the producers of the movie.

Read More: “Look at This Beautiful Wheel”- Sylvester Stallone Shows Off ‘Compound Bow, Very American Rambo Style’

What did you think about Stallone gambling on himself and rejecting the $265,000? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Sylvester Stallone on Weightlifting, Change in His Workout Regime and Why He’d Beat ‘Great Bodybuilder’ Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Boxing Match