Nearly 30 years after his blockbuster action thriller Cliffhanger, Sylvester Stallone is all set to make a sequel to the popular commercial film. Speaking about the highly anticipated reboot, Stallone who made an appearance to promote his reality show The Family Stallone, addressed the news about Cliffhanger 2 and his hopes for how it should turn out.
The star also spoke about Hollywood cinema, how it has evolved over the years through various genres, and the difference in the kind of filmmaking in the 90s and today. He also believed that 1993’s Cliffhanger despite being made 30 years ago, still stood the test of time while another iconic film may not necessarily work for today’s generation.
Sylvester Stallone Compared Actors and Films During Different Eras
While enthusiastic about rebooting his hugely successful film Cliffhanger, Sylvester Stallone was also honest and realistic about the relevance of these films in today’s era. While he believed that a film like Cliffhanger was still topical for today’s time due to its technical prowess and action that can still relate to all audiences, the Rocky star felt that the iconic Oscar-winning Godfather starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando may not hold up as well for the modern aesthetic either through performances or as a script. To quote the actor,
“Like, if you were to make the Godfather today it wouldn’t work. You couldn’t – those actors don’t exist. I mean, it’s a different style. Now Cliffhanger, like Demolition Man, holds up, so I’m looking forward to it.”
When asked about the kind of stunts that will be incorporated into the Cliffhanger sequel, Stallone confessed in a light-hearted vein that he was relieved the script did not have too many death-defying segments. He went on to praise the story and the screenplay and gave his assurance that the film will be as entertaining as the first one.
Rocky 4, Sylvester Stallone, And The Cold War
Sylvester Stallone’s 4th film in the Rocky series followed the story of the protagonist’s journey to Russia to take on hulking Russian boxer Ivan Drago who was responsible for beating Rocky’s friend Apollo Creed to death during a fight. While the film was appreciated for its intense battles and rivalry, it was also at the center of controversy with the Russians who criticized the franchise for stereotyping and judging them in an allegedly one-sided take on the 45-year-old Cold War between the two countries. Stallone defended his film and its intent saying,
“I wanted to show two guys fighting instead of 20 million, like they used to do in the old days — send out your best warrior. You send out David and I’ll send out Goliath and we’ll see what happens.”
Speaking of the current volatile environment between Russia and Ukraine, Stallone stated that it was tragic to see the ongoing crisis between the two countries which went against the principle of fair fighting that he endorsed in his films. Rocky 4 ultimately went on to become the highest grosser of the franchise and also held the record for the most successful sports film for 24 years.
Source: Radio Times
