One of the most lucrative and widely recognized movie franchises is Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone. For over 40 years, fans have been moved by the story of a Philadelphia boxer who beats the odds to become a champion.
Carl Weathers’ portrayal of Apollo Creed was a major element in the movie’s success. But Stallone claims that Weathers was fired from the series because of his avarice.
Sylvester Stallone Thought Apollo Creed was Special
In an interview with Deadline, Sylvester Stallone praised Carl Weathers and his portrayal of Apollo Creed, calling him “a world-class athlete.”
“I was so blessed the day I met Carl, who is not just a fantastic actor, but a world class athlete who did things that normal actors and human beings can’t do.”
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Sylvester Stallone further expressed that even though “it’s been 40 years after Rocky” Creed’s existence “shows the impact that Carl Weathers had with Apollo Creed.” The actor’s athleticism and world-class abilities were cited by Stallone as grounds for creating a spin-off centered on Weathers’ character.
“The fact that this is a movie called Creed, and it’s 40 years after Rocky, well it shows the impact that Carl Weathers had with Apollo Creed. I hadn’t seen that in the ring before. Dolph Lundgren was a good athlete besides being a Fulbright Scholar, and Mister T was a good athlete, but nothing quite like Carl.”
Stallone penned the script with the intention of having two of Rocky’s rivals make cameo appearances. However, in a 2006 interview with Ain’t It Cool News, Sylvester Stallone explains why Weathers wasn’t in Rocky Balboa.
“Apollo Creed is not in Rocky Balboa because he wanted many thousands of dollars for a two second piece of he and Rocky boxing. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford it. Whatever happened to loyalty? Apollo Greed?”
In retrospect, there was talk about having Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed return for Creed 2. Before moving on to Black Panther, Ryan Coogler was attached to helm the Creed movie.
Apollo Creed’s Return in the Creed Franchise
In the documentary The Making of Rocky vs. Drago, Sylvester Stallone admitted that he regretted writing off Apollo Creed as he did in Rocky IV and that if he could redo the movie today, Apollo Creed’s fate would have been different.
Sylvester Stallone admitted he was wrong to assume that the story required Apollo Creed’s death to maintain its momentum. Stallone claimed that a wheelchair-bound Apollo Creed could have played Mickey Goldmill and uncovered previously unknown plot points.
Apollo Creed would have been like a parent figure, brother, and mentor, according to Stallone. Apollo Creed is one of the most well-liked supporting characters in the Rocky franchise, despite appearing in only two films.
Fans of Carl Weathers’s iconic turn as the cocksure winner were not disappointed by the Creed sequels. The Creed films have explored the life of Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, and his feelings toward his father’s heritage.
Source: Ain’t It Cool News
