Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Sylvester Stallone
Discover the career path of Sylvester Stallone, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Sylvester Stallone is a celebrated American actor and filmmaker with a career spanning over five decades. He has earned numerous awards, including a Golden Globe and a Critics' Choice Award, alongside multiple Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. Notably, he is one of only two actors to have starred in a box-office number-one film across six consecutive decades. His filmography has collectively grossed over $7.5 billion globally, solidifying his status as a major figure in the entertainment industry.
1 day ago : Sylvester Stallone's risky stunt payment & debut film's revival after 50 years.
Sylvester Stallone reportedly funded a million-dollar aerial stunt. His first film, 'Rebel', directed by Bill L. Norton, finally premiered after being shelved for over 50 years, marking a significant moment in Stallone's early career.
1976: "Gonna Fly Now" theme for Rocky
In 1976, Bill Conti recorded the famous "Gonna Fly Now" theme for Sylvester Stallone's Academy Award-nominated film, Rocky, which was a U.S. No. 1 hit.
1977: Double Nomination for Rocky
In 1977, for the first Rocky film, Sylvester Stallone became the third person in history to receive nominations for both Best Actor and Best Screenplay.
1978: Singing "Too Close to Paradise" for Paradise Alley
In 1978, Sylvester Stallone sang "Too Close to Paradise" for Paradise Alley, with music by Bill Conti.
1982: Singing "Take Me Back" in Rocky III
In 1982, Sylvester Stallone, as Rocky Balboa, sang "Take Me Back" to his on-screen wife, Adrian, in Rocky III. The song was first performed by his younger brother, Frank Stallone.
1983: Directing Staying Alive
In 1983, Sylvester Stallone directed "Staying Alive", the sequel to "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta. Although a critical failure, the film was a commercial success, grossing nearly $65 million in the US box office against a $22 million budget and ranking in the top ten most financially successful films of 1983.
1984: Starring in Rhinestone
In 1984, Sylvester Stallone co-wrote and starred in the comedy film "Rhinestone" alongside Dolly Parton, playing a wannabe country music singer and performing a song for the soundtrack. Stallone regretted turning down the lead male role in "Romancing the Stone" to make "Rhinestone" instead.
1985: Signing to Remake Angels with Dirty Faces
Around 1985, Sylvester Stallone signed to a remake of the 1939 James Cagney classic "Angels with Dirty Faces". The film was to be co-starred by Christopher Reeve and directed by Menahem Golan, but was met with disapproval and was never made. Cannon opted to make the action film Cobra instead.
1985: Continuing Success with Rocky and Rambo Franchises
In 1985, Sylvester Stallone continued his success with the Rocky and Rambo franchises with "Rocky IV" and "Rambo: First Blood Part II". Stallone worked out with former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu to develop his character's appearance for "Rocky IV". Both films were major financial successes.
1986: Releasing Cobra
In 1986, Cannon Films released the action film "Cobra" starring Sylvester Stallone, instead of remaking "Angels with Dirty Faces". Cobra became a box-office success and led to the setting up of Stallone's production company White Eagle Enterprises.
1987: Starring in Over the Top
In 1987, Sylvester Stallone starred in the family drama "Over the Top" as a struggling trucker who enters an arm wrestling competition. It was poorly received by critics and was a box-office failure.
1989: Co-starring in Tango & Cash
In 1989, Sylvester Stallone co-starred alongside Kurt Russell in the buddy cop action film "Tango & Cash", which grossed over US$120 million worldwide. Stallone also became a boxing promoter in the 1980s, signing world champion boxers Sean O'Grady and Aaron Pryor.
1992: Starring in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
In 1992, Sylvester Stallone appeared in the action comedy "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot", which was both a critical and box-office disaster. Stallone signed onto the film based on rumors that Schwarzenegger was interested in the lead, but Schwarzenegger publicly faked interest in starring for producers to lure Stallone, knowing the script's quality was poor.
1993: Comeback with Cliffhanger and Starring in Demolition Man
In 1993, Sylvester Stallone made a comeback with the action thriller "Cliffhanger", which grossed US$171 million worldwide. Later that year, he starred in the futuristic action film "Demolition Man" co-starring Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock, which debuted at No. 1 at the box office.
1994: Contribution to Rick Santorum's Campaign
In 1994, Stallone contributed $1,000 to the campaign of then-Congressman Rick Santorum, who was running for the Senate in Pennsylvania.
1994: Starring in The Specialist
In 1994, Sylvester Stallone's success continued with "The Specialist" co-starring Sharon Stone, which was a commercial success, making back its budget with $57,362,582 at the domestic box office and grossing $170,362,582 worldwide.
1995: Starring in Judge Dredd
In 1995, Sylvester Stallone played the title character in the science fiction action film "Judge Dredd". Stallone's overseas box-office appeal saved the domestic box-office disappointment of the film, which cost almost US$100 million.
1996: Starring in Daylight
In 1996, Sylvester Stallone starred in the disaster film "Daylight" as a disgraced former emergency services chief who attempts to rescue survivors of an underground tunnel explosion. "Daylight" underperformed at the domestic box office, but did better overseas, grossing a total of $158 million worldwide.
1997: Starring in Cop Land
In 1997, Sylvester Stallone was cast against type as an overweight sheriff in the crime drama "Cop Land", in which he starred alongside Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. Stallone's performance earned him the Stockholm International Film Festival Best Actor Award.
1998: Voice-over Work for Antz
In 1998, Sylvester Stallone did voice-over work for the animated film "Antz", which was a success domestically.
2000: Starring in Get Carter
In 2000, Sylvester Stallone starred in the thriller "Get Carter", a remake of the 1971 British film of the same name, but the film was poorly received by both critics and audiences.
2001: Starring in Driven
In 2001, Sylvester Stallone's career declined considerably after his film "Driven" was a critical and commercial failure.
2002: Starring in Avenging Angelo and D-Tox
In 2002, Sylvester Stallone's films "Avenging Angelo" and "D-Tox" were also critical and commercial failures.
2003: Playing a Villain in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
In 2003, Sylvester Stallone played a villainous role in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over", which was a huge box-office success. Stallone also had a cameo appearance in the French film "Taxi 3".
2005: Co-presenting The Contender and Inducting Hulk Hogan into WWE Hall of Fame
In 2005, Sylvester Stallone co-presented the NBC reality television boxing competition series "The Contender". He also made a guest appearance in two episodes of the television series "Las Vegas". Stallone inducted Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame. Stallone also released his book Sly Moves in 2005.
2006: Comeback with Rocky Balboa
In 2006, Sylvester Stallone had a comeback with the sixth installment of the Rocky series, "Rocky Balboa", which was a critical and commercial hit. Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in the film, which garnered mostly positive reviews.
January 25, 2008: Release of Rambo
On January 25, 2008, Sylvester Stallone reprised his role in the fourth installment of the Rambo franchise, titled simply "Rambo". The film grossed US$6,490,000 on its opening day and US$18,200,000 over its opening weekend.
2008: Endorsement of John McCain
In 2008, Stallone endorsed John McCain for that year's presidential election.
July 2009: Cameo Appearance in Kambakkht Ishq
In July 2009, Sylvester Stallone made a cameo appearance in the Bollywood film "Kambakkht Ishq", where he played himself.
August 13, 2010: Release of The Expendables
On August 13, 2010, Sylvester Stallone's film "The Expendables" was released, taking US$34,825,135 in its opening weekend and going straight in at No. 1 in the US box office. The figure marked the biggest opening weekend in Stallone's career.
August 17, 2012: Release of The Expendables 2
On August 17, 2012, "The Expendables 2" was released. That year, Stallone co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical adaptation of Rocky.
2013: Performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Grudge Match
In 2013, Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" together in Grudge Match.
2013: Starring in Bullet to the Head, Escape Plan, and Grudge Match
In 2013, Sylvester Stallone starred in the action film "Bullet to the Head", the action thriller "Escape Plan", and the sports comedy drama "Grudge Match". Stallone was also credited as writer for the Jason Statham action film "Homefront".
August 15, 2014: Release of The Expendables 3
On August 15, 2014, "The Expendables 3", the third installment in the series, was released. The film was negatively received and became the lowest-grossing film in the series.
2015: Reprising Rocky Balboa in Creed
In 2015, Sylvester Stallone reprised his role as Rocky Balboa in Creed, a spin-off-sequel film centered on Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Apollo Creed. Stallone's performance garnered significant acclaim, earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
2017: Appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
In 2017, Sylvester Stallone appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord / Starhawk, who is the leader of a Ravagers faction.
March 2018: Formation of Balboa Productions
In March 2018, Sylvester Stallone formed a film studio named Balboa Productions with Braden Aftergood, where Stallone will serve as co-producer for each of their projects. The studio signed a multi-year collaboration deal with Starlight Culture Entertainment to develop projects for film and television.
March 2018: Creed II Production
In March 2018, production for Creed II commenced, with a scheduled release on Thanksgiving 2018. Steven Caple Jr. was appointed as the director.
May 2018: Fifth Rambo Installment Announcement
In May 2018, it was announced that a fifth installment in the Rambo franchise was in development.
August 2018: Adrian Grünberg confirmed as Rambo 5 director
In August 2018, Adrian Grünberg was confirmed as the director of the fifth Rambo film.
September 2018: Filming of Rambo: Last Blood Begins
By September 2018, filming had begun for Rambo: Last Blood. The film's script was co-written by Stallone, who also reprised his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo.
November 21, 2018: Creed II Release
On November 21, 2018, Creed II was released in the United States by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film received generally positive reviews and debuted to $35.3 million in its opening weekend, marking the biggest debut ever for a live-action release over Thanksgiving.
2018: Co-starring in Escape Plan 2: Hades and announcing Escape Plan: The Extractors
In 2018, Sylvester Stallone co-starred in Escape Plan 2: Hades with Dave Bautista, which was released straight to home-video. After production wrapped, he announced that work on the third movie titled Escape Plan: The Extractors began immediately thereafter, and also finished a script for a sequel to Creed, with a plot including the return of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.
July 23, 2019: Rocky Sequel and Prequel Development
On July 23, 2019, Sylvester Stallone mentioned in an interview with Variety that a Rocky sequel and prequel were in development, with negotiations underway for him to write and star in the feature. He also discussed ongoing discussions about a Rocky prequel television series.
September 20, 2019: Release of Rambo: Last Blood
On September 20, 2019, Rambo: Last Blood was released in the United States. The film grossed $18.9 million in its opening weekend, marking the best debut of the franchise.
May 2020: Demolition Man sequel announcement
In May 2020, Sylvester Stallone announced that a sequel to 1993's Demolition Man is in the works with Warner Brothers.
2020: Directing 40 Years of Rocky documentary
In 2020, Sylvester Stallone hand-picked Derek Wayne Johnson to direct and produce a documentary on the making of the original Rocky, entitled 40 Years of Rocky. The documentary features Stallone narrating behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film.
2020: Voice acting as Rambo in Mortal Kombat 11
In late 2020, Sylvester Stallone lent his voice as Rambo to the fighting video game Mortal Kombat 11, as part of the game's 2nd Kombat Pack.
2021: Voice acting as King Shark in The Suicide Squad
In 2021, Sylvester Stallone voiced King Shark in the DC Extended Universe film The Suicide Squad.
November 2022: Streaming television debut in Tulsa King
In November 2022, Sylvester Stallone made his streaming television debut in Tulsa King, in which he plays a Mafia boss. The 9-episode series premiered on Paramount+.
May 2023: Starring in The Family Stallone and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 appearance
In May 2023 Sylvester Stallone and his immediate family starred in a reality television series The Family Stallone, which was renewed for a second season seven days after launch. That same month, Stallone reprised his role as Stakar Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
October 2023: Reprising Barney Ross in Expend4bles
In October 2023, Sylvester Stallone reprised his role as Barney Ross in Expend4bles, which was a critical and commercial failure, becoming the lowest-grossing film in the franchise.
January 16, 2025: Appointment as Special Ambassador to Hollywood
On January 16, 2025, Trump announced that Stallone would serve as a Special Ambassador to Hollywood, along with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson.
Mentioned in this timeline
World Wrestling Entertainment WWE is a prominent American professional wrestling...
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American actor businessman former politician and...
The lion Panthera leo is a large cat species native...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
Dolly Parton is a celebrated American singer songwriter musician actress...
Dave Bautista born David Michael Bautista Jr is an American...
Trending
44 seconds ago Dakota Johnson's 'Nonnegotiable' and potential Chris Martin Split: Relationship status updates.
59 seconds ago Matthew Lawrence recalls joyful 'Mrs. Doubtfire' scene with Robin Williams, jumping on the table.
1 minute ago Hugh Jackman Delights Hollywood Bowl with Jokes, Drama, and Music from John Denver.
25 days ago Willie Nelson and Steve Perry collaborate to recreate Journey's 'Faithfully'.
2 minutes ago Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Multiple Counties, Strong Winds Possible on Tuesday
1 hour ago Samsung Galaxy A36 5G Launching; Top Smartphones for Designers in 2025
Popular
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who gained international...
Thomas Douglas Homan is an American law enforcement officer and...
Playboi Carti born Jordan Terrell Carter is an American rapper...
Cristiano Ronaldo often called CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving...
Emma Corrin is an English actor best known for portraying...