For ages, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were believed to be arch-nemesis in the movie industry as both of them were making action films. They were the biggest action stars of their time, as both of them had starred in some of the biggest action films and franchises of all time. Their rivalry began in the 70s and lasted until the 90s when the two icons decided to patch things up and become friends.
As a result, Arnold Schwarzenegger has also been a part of Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables. The franchise created by The Italian Stallion was made in an effort to feature a group of the biggest action stars from the 80s and 90s in a collaborative effort that paid tribute to their defining film career. The franchise has featured Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes, and many more. While the franchise featured Schwarzenegger for 3 films, Stallone was not upset with him, when he did not want to be a part of the franchise anymore.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Leaves The Expendables Franchise On A Good Note
For decades, both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone had been looking for the perfect project to collaborate on. However, they did not find any until Stallone came up with The Expendables franchise. During an exclusive interview with Collider, The Austrian Oak explained that the Rocky star came up to him and asked him to collaborate in his film, The Expendables.
“And then, one day, I was sitting at my hairdresser and Sly [Stallone] came up to me and said, ‘Oh, man, it would be so great, if you could just do a little something in my Expendables movie.’ I said, ‘The only way I can do anything for you is if I do it on the weekend, and not take away my work for the people.’”
The Tulsa King actor wanted to make any necessary changes and wanted to make sure that Schwarzenegger was a part of the star-studded franchise. But, as The Expendables 4 was released many people noticed that the Terminator actor was absent on the big screen. During an interview with Parade, he shared that he was done with the franchise, and has parted ways with it.
“It’s done and I’m not in it. I said, ‘You know what, we have done this and I’m out of it.’ And [Stallone] really understood. I did [the first Expendables] as a favor to Sly. I shot it on a Saturday for two hours quickly in a church with Bruce Willis. Sly said, ‘Oh, can you do Expendables 2?’ And I did that for a weekend. Then it was expanded for Expendables 3. And that was it.”
While The Former Governor of California decided to part ways with Sylvester Stallone’s action franchise, both of them had built their legacies in the action genre. Both of them have nothing but praise for each other.
Sylvester Stallone Hails Arnold Schwarzenegger As The Superior Actor
Both the stars have built an unshakable legacy in Hollywood, and in spite of their indifferences in the past, they support each other. They have shared the screen not only in The Expendables franchise but also in the renowned series, Escape Plan. During an exclusive interview with Far Out magazine, Sylvester Stallone hailed his rival as superior in every sense and how he did not get hurt at all.
“He was superior. He just had all the answers. He had the body. He had the strength. That was his character…“I had to get my ass kicked constantly, whereas Arnold, he never got hurt much…And I’m going, ‘Arnold, you could go out and fight a dragon and you’d come back with a Band-Aid.’”
Stallone compares their rivalry to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The two stars would turn any film into a smash-hit film, and both of them have played iconic characters that are synonymous with their names. But more importantly, it is great to see the two actors being good friends and occasionally sharing a picture or screen together.
The Expendables 1 can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Parade
