News

Christopher Nolan continues to assemble quite the cast for his latest movie as THR reports that Lupita Nyong’o (A Quiet Place: Day One) has signed on. As you might expect, there aren’t any details on who Nyong’o might be playing in the film.

The film is already set to star Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya. Production is expected to kick off in early 2025, with Universal already slating the film for an IMAX release on July 17, 2026. In addition to directing and writing the film, Nolan will also produce with Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but there have been plenty of rumours swirling around, ranging from a period vampire thriller to a helicopter action thriller, but insiders say “nothing has come close to nailing Nolan’s real idea.“

Related Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Alien, The Muppet Show,...

Playing a boxer seems to be a prerequisite for an actor in their journey to become an action star. Will Smith played Muhammed Ali in Ali while Mark Wahlberg played Micky Ward in The Fighter. Though Sylvester Stallone had his breakthrough with the Rocky franchise, the greatest boxer in Hollywood reportedly even bested him.

Stallone recounted the filming process of Rocky IV where the legendary actor Dolph Lundgren played Ivan Drago. While Drago was one of the most dangerous opponents that Rocky Balboa ever faced, Lundgren himself was reportedly no less, punching Stallone in the chest on his insistence, which reportedly led him to be hospitalized.

Will Smith And Mark Wahlberg Have Nothing On Dolph Lundgren Will Smith in Ali | Credits: Sony Pictures

There is just something about boxing movies that makes them an iconic sub-genre in the sports drama category. Films like Million Dollar Baby, Rocky, Cinderella Man, Ali,...

Kevin Bacon’s next movie will be a true family affair. Variety reports that Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are set to direct Family Movie, a horror-comedy in which they will also star alongside their children, Travis and Sosie Bacon.

Based on a screenplay by Dan Beers (Premature), the film follows “an eclectic but tight-knit family of filmmakers who suddenly find themselves in a real-life horror movie when a body turns up on the set of their latest low-budget slasher. As the production spirals comically out of control, they realize the only solution to keep filming is to cover up the murder, by any means necessary.“

The Bacon family will also produce the project for Mixed Breed Films alongside Norman Golightly at Dark Castle Entertainment. “There may not be a more compelling Hollywood family than the Bacons,” said Golightly in a statement. “We can’t wait to bring their unique...

The early 2000s were a bad time for Sylvester Stallone professionally. In the mid-nineties, after a short-lived resurgence of three hit movies, Cliffhanger, Demolition Man and The Specialist, Stallone’s career as a bankable action star began to sputter, with Judge Dredd, Assassins and Daylight all losing money. Copland, an indie drama directed by James Mangold, made money and earned Stallone his best reviews since the original Rocky, but his follow-up movies were disastrous. His attempt at a slasher/ horror movie, D-Tox, sat on the shelf for years, finally being released under the lame title Eye See You. His 2000 remake of Get Carter was another disaster, with critics eviscerating him for remaking the Michael Caine classic, with even a cameo from Caine himself not easing their fury. In 2001, he teamed with Cliffhanger’s Renny Harlin on a go-for-broke would-be blockbuster called Driven.

Sporting a huge budget, for the time, a...

It’s a well-known fact that Cm Punk, the best in the world, has never seen a Rocky movie, not even once, not even by accident! So, it is, in fact, hilarious when Tony D and the family decide to stage a whole Rocky III rip-off right in front of him at WWE Nxt.

Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky vs Mr. T’s Clubber Lang in Rocky III

Sylvester Stallone’ Rocky movies are truly here to stay. Their influence stretches far beyond just the silver screen, it’s wild to think about how they’ve inspired athletes, artists, and dreamers across various sectors. Fans can’t wait to find out what WWE Nxt has in store for them next!

WWE Nxt Unleashes a Rocky III Storyline with Tony D’Angelo Right in Front of Cm Punk!

Hammerstone scored a count-out victory on WWE Nxt when a shaken Tony D’Angelo suddenly decided...

The fourth installment in the titular film series, Rocky 4, was such a massive success that it went on to gross the title of the highest-grossing sports film of all time for over two decades. With an incredible overall plotline that was the perfect mix of emotions and actions, Sylvester Stallone immaculately made his return as Balboa after the smash hit success that was Rocky 3.

Rocky 4. | Credit: United Artists.

But while all the elements were ideally incorporated into the 1985 masterpiece, some parts still confused fans. For instance, the talking robot that Stallone’s Balboa gifts to his brother-in-law Paulie on his birthday. However, as unreasonable as including that character may have seemed to fans, the real reason behind Stallone’s choice is actually pretty emotional.

The Real Reason Sylvester Stallone Added a Talking Robot in Rocky 4

Being the writer and director of it himself, Sylvester Stallone made...

Hulk Hogan’s career in the WWE earned him a stellar reputation in the sports arena, and with his immense fame came wads of fortune. It wasn’t an easy path for him because, like many aspiring wrestlers, he had to start from nothing.

Hulk Hogan via WWE.com

Many fans know him by his screen moniker, and ever since he became popular in WWE, he needed a façade to show inside the ring. At the time, the Hulk was a popular comic book character, and he combined it with promoter Vincent McMahon’s suggestion to adopt an Irish persona, hence the Hogan. Later on, he changed it to Hollywood Hogan to avoid paying Marvel the rights to the name.

Hulk Hogan’s Divorce Left Him Broke And Broken

Hulk Hogan’s career soared high, but it only took one event to bring his castle crumbling. His divorce from ex-wife Linda Hogan...

The Karate Kid franchise which began in 1984, starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel Larusso. He played a young Italian American teenager who learns to defend himself against school bully Johnny Lawrence played by William Zabka, by learning martial arts from eccentric war veteran Mr Miyagi. Following two more films with the two actors, the franchise further expanded with Hillary Swank and later, with Jaden Smith playing the lead protagonist.

Ralph Macchio and William Zabka in Cobra Kai (image credit: Netflix)

The film series gave rise to a 2018 comedy television series called Cobrai Kai which saw Macchio and Zabka reprising their famous roles more than 3 decades later in a continuation of their rivalry-turned-friendship. Apart from feeling a sense of nostalgia on portraying these beloved characters again, Zabka was extremely excited to co-star with 3 alums of the original films with whom he hadn’t had the opportunity to star with in the earlier installments.

Does Sylvester Stallone need an introduction any more than a fish needs a bicycle? It’s fair to say that the legend himself, standing tall at the ripe age of 78, remains as fit as a fiddle—with muscles still sculpted enough to give men half his age a run for their money.

Indeed, the roles of Rambo and Rocky, synonymous with Stallone’s rugged, punch-packed persona, might’ve brought dazzling limelight to his doorstep, but they’re merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his expansive career. Diving into the skin of these characters was a walk in the park for Stallone, flexing his thespian muscles, which, let’s be honest, was as simple for him as shooting fish in a barrel after so many sequels & battle scenes.

Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in First Blood | Orion Pictures

Yet, Taylor Sheridan’s comedy-crime series, Tulsa King, showed...

Amazon Prime Video is the place to go for movies this month, with a plethora of original films as well as new library additions for just about every movie fan. The Emma Roberts-led original Space Cadet hits the streaming service aptly on the Fourth of July, for anyone looking for a fish-out-of-water style comedy. My Spy the Eternal City, the newest film in the Dave Bautista-led family action series also drops on July 18.

Action film fans are also in for a treat with recent films The Beekeeper and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning coming to Prime Video in July.

As far as TV shows go, the most notable addition this month is the adult animated series Sausage Party: Foodtopia, a continuation of the 2016 film Sausage Party.

Here’s everything coming to Prime Video and Freevee in July – Amazon originals are designated with an asterisk.

New on Amazon Prime Video...

The ‘70s and ‘80s saw the rise of a new chapter of action movies in Hollywood. Aspiring faces such as Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sylvester Stallone brought in a wealth of talent and pulled crowds to the screens with their franchises of Top Gun, The Terminator, and Rocky, respectively.

Among these, the latter star and his tale of the iconic Rocky Balboa came across as a grounded and rise-to-fame storyline that captured the popular imagination.

Sylvester Stallone in a still from Rocky III | MGM Entertainment

In production for Rocky III, which began as early as 1979 ahead of a 1982 release, the Stallone starrer made crucial decisions and finessed each fine detail to perfection to keep the name of the franchise untainted. The course of actions saw tough calls being taken, axing some key moments entirely.

Surprisingly, one of those crucial decisions not only gave the film a beloved montage but...

Can the Rocky franchise ever be complete without ‘Mickey Loves You’? Well, actor Sylvester Stallone reportedly planned on wrapping up the sports drama franchise with Rocky III, wanting to finish up the character’s arc in a trilogy. After the worldwide success of the first film, Stallone hopped on the director’s chair for the sequels and planned a great ending.

Stallone was on the brink of giving up on his dreams when he wrote the screenplay for Rocky and sold it for a chance at starring in the sports drama. What was then a small-budget film became a worldwide phenomenon and the highest-grossing film of 1976. It spawned multiple sequels and a spinoff film centered on Adonis Creed, Apollo Creed’s son.

Sylvester Stallone Wanted To Wrap Up Rocky With The Third Film Sylvester Stallone in Rocky | Credits: Chartoff-Winkler Productions

Sylvester Stallone became an overnight star when he wrote and...

Relive every punch from one of the most iconic and beloved sports drama franchises with the Rocky I-vi 4K Collection, newly remastered in stunning 4K Ultra HD. Sylvester Stallone stars in the greatest boxing saga of all time and triumphs as one of the most inspirational characters in cinematic history. Witness every epic, action packed fight and unforgettable moment as Rocky punches his way to the top against impossible odds when the Rocky I-vi 4K Collection is released on July 16, 2024. The Rocky I-vi 4K Collection includes the MGM feature films Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V and Rocky Balboa, along with theROCKY IV Ultimate ... Read more...

The Rocky movies are pretty synonymous with cinema. You’ve got every kind of movie you could want, the intimate Academy Award-winning underdog original and its closely knit sequel, the fun and cheesy spectacles of Rocky III and Rocky IV, the misguided attempt to recapture its roots with Rocky V, and the old war horse, broken down, one-last-fight inspiration of Rocky Balboa. The story behind the first movie is as engaging as the movie itself, which is why it will be the subject of a new movie from Peter Farrelly called I Play Rocky.

Blu-ray.com has unveiled that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will now be releasing the Rocky series, sans Creed spin-offs, with the new 4K Ultra HD Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection. The set will encompass all versions of the commercially released films in Uhd, which includes both the theatrical version of Rocky IV and the recut Rocky Vs.

Despite a historically accurate reading of Hollywood’s storied past, great directors and filmmakers make it their business to break and set records with their career’s work. Christopher Nolan is invariably one such director who continues to defy the laws of physics in his films just as he manipulates the laws of human psychology when it comes to breaking box office records.

However, it is rare to find a combination of good filmmakers with complete artistic and creative taste who don’t eventually fall prey to the studio system. Return on investments and profit guides the business models of modern-day Hollywood and to keep making films, it becomes imperative that directors, creatives, and actors all fall in line with the company policy.

Christopher Nolan [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]As such, the audience of the 21st century’s cinematic era is blessed to have auteurs like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve who...

90 Day Fiance and The Family Chantel alum Scott Wern is hoping to win a fitness competition. He has a story that tugs at heartstrings as long as fans and followers take the time to read it. So, who is the real Scott? Keep reading for more details.

90 Day Fiance Scott Wern Hoping To Win Fitness Competition

Viewers who watched 90 Day Fiance: Love In Paradise may have seen Scott Wern working out. He seemed very invested in his body and physical well-being which may have been a draw for Lidia Morel. Even when he made a few appearances on The Family Chantel, he was spotted in the gym. There is no doubt that he has an incredible body and is fine with showing off his hard work. That being said, he now has a chance to put it on display, win a title, and $20K. So, what exactly is this...

Sylvester Stallone, the action movie icon known for films like “Rocky” and “Rambo”, is a certified Hollywood A-lister. He took his talents to the small screen with the hit crime drama series, “Tulsa King”.

Sylvester Stallone || Tulsa King

The show follows Dwight Manfredi, a New York Mafia capo freshly released from prison after 25 years. Exiled by his boss and sent to set up shop in the unlikeliest of places – Tulsa, Oklahoma – Dwight must rebuild his criminal empire with a ragtag crew of unlikely allies.

Suggested“This is who I am”: Neither Rocky Nor Rambo, Sylvester Stallone Called Only One Role That Doesn’t Show Him as “Impaired” or “Dangerous”

“Tulsa King” quickly garnered a loyal fanbase, leaving them hungry for more after its successful first season. But will there be a season two? The answer, according to Stallone, might hinge on one key factor.

Sylvester Stallone Might Do Tulsa King...

Let’s revisit the sequel to the iconic film Saturday Night Fever – Staying Alive. John Travolta once again embodied Tony Manero, waving goodbye to his disco shoes to take the Broadway stage. Travolta was actually inspired by the box office hit Rocky III, and even invited Sylvester Stallone, its director, to helm the project. But hey, the original movie was a huge hit, and Staying Alive? The reviews were dreadful. The critics trashed this film, giving it a miserable 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the soundtrack was an entirely different story. Far From Over by Frank Stallone reached the top ten, and Sylvester Stallone’s cameo, followed by Tony’s hilarious strut, left no one indifferent. Thus, is it a movie disaster one cannot look away from, or just a terrible sequel? You decide! Trailer Source: touchstonefan0348 on YouTube

The post 1980s Movie Flashback: ‘Staying Alive’: So Bad It’s Good?...

Apart from starring a Hollywood legend like Sylvester Stallone and featuring some of the finest action-packed, adrenaline-inducing fight scenes, the Rocky franchise is also known for having some of the most incredible musical scores. Yet it is the official soundtrack of the third movie. Rocky III’s Eye of the Tiger that towers over all the other songs.

A still from Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger music video

A Grammy-winning, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-nominated single, Eye of the Tiger has had an amazing run on countless music charts as well. Not only did it dominate the music scene back in the day but it also made the band Survivor a legend. However, Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik would have never gotten the golden opportunity for Stallone initially though the song did not have balls!

Sylvester Stallone Did Not Want Eye of the Tiger in Rocky 3 Sylvester Stallone...

Among the plethora of faces that popped up in the 2023’s highest-grossing billion-dollar and 8 Oscar-nominated movie, Barbie, Sylvester Stallone was also set to leave his mark, believe it or not. However, conflicting schedules and clashes with Tulsa King made it difficult for him to be present on the sets. Nevertheless, Stallone’s “Kenergy” was felt throughout the movie. However, Stallone is now glad audiences missed the opportunity to witness him as one of the Kens, as he deemed himself too ugly for the role.

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III poster Sylvester Stallone Thought He Was Too Ugly to Play Ken!

When the iconic action hero Sylvester Stallone graced The Tonight Show stage, he spilled the beans to Jimmy Fallon about how the unexpected yet intriguing opportunity to appear in the Barbie movie landed in his lap. Despite his initial excitement for the cameo, pesky schedule conflicts threw a wrench in the works.

Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise made him the star he is today, but it is also his brainchild. As he wrote the captivating story of the first movie of the franchise, he had very little idea of the future of the franchise’s astonishing success.

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky

Stallone, who was a struggling actor at the time, convinced the producers to star himself in the movie, and it made all the difference. However, despite writing several movies in the franchise and being its original creator, the actor had no rights to anything related to the franchise.

SUGGESTEDSylvester Stallone’s Rocky 3 Never Wanted Eye of the Tiger: Original Choice Was a Queen Song That’d Have Ruined the $270M Movie Sylvester Stallone’s Long Battle For Rocky Rights Sylvester Stallone in Creed II

Sylvester Stallone crafted the Rocky universe, yet his foundational rights for Rocky were never rock solid.

Following the journey of boxer Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise stands as some of his most renowned work across his extensive career. After the success of the original 1976 film, the action star reprised his role in multiple films under the franchise, facing off various opponents in the boxing ring. The third film in the series featured Rocky Balboa going off against one of the most iconic adversaries of the franchise, Clubber Lang, portrayed by Mr. T.

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa

The film was a huge hit, grossing, $270 million at the box office. And its theme song, Eye of the Tiger by the rock band Survivor, has become one of the most notable aspects of the film. However, it was not what the makers initially wanted for the movie, as they originally aimed to feature Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust.

Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky 3 Almost...

Recently, one of the most popular actors of all time, Carl Weathers, passed away at the age of 76. Everyone was upset after hearing the news, particularly his Rocky co-star Sylvester Stallone, who recently highlighted the importance of Weathers in the Rocky franchise.

Carl Weathers and Sylvester Stallone in Rocky

In one of his recent interviews, Stallone explained that Weathers was perfect for the role and recalled that his look, physique, and arrogant attitude were the reasons why he got the role. The role of Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films (1976–1985) made Weathers a worldwide sensation.

Sylvester Stallone talked about his first meeting with Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers and Sylvester Stallone in a still from Rocky III

Actor Sylvester Stallone recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and talked about his first meeting with Carl Weathers when he came to audition for the role of Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise.

Sylvester Stallone is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the history of Hollywood, as he made a name for himself as the king of action movies in the 70s and 80s. That’s not all he is known for as Sly is also known as one of the most generous and giving actors in the business. With that said, Sylvester Stallone was accused of forcing a 16-year-old into a threesome in the past.

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky

Sylvester Stallone has defined many generations of stars as well as movies, as the iconic Hollywood legend has made sure people continue to revere him for his contributions to the world of Cinema in his long and illustrious career.

Suggested“It didn’t matter what time it was”: Sylvester Stallone Wrote the First Rocky Draft in Record Time Sylvester Stallone Accused Of Forcing A 16-Year-Old To Join A Threesome A scene...

Sylvester Stallone shared one of his first memories of actor Carl Weathers, who starred in the iconic role as boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky series.

While on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in an episode aired Friday, Stallone, who co-starred in the franchise as Rocky Balboa, recalled the difficulty of finding someone who could play Creed. “I couldn’t fill that spot,” the actor told the host. “It required incredible athleticism, brains, spirit, talent, speed.” Weathers, a professional football player who played eight games with the then-Oakland Raiders...

Those who don’t follow professional wrestling may not appreciate just how tough and grueling it is. It isn’t enough to be on the road 200+ days a year, getting dropped on your head or your back every night, dealing with injuries, losing your spot on the roster, and worse. If you’ve seen films like The Iron Claw, The Wrestler, or the old Beyond the Mat documentary, you know that professional wrestling is grind like no other.

But the other aspect that goes underappreciated is how much wrestling relies on acting. If you have any hope of making it big, it isn’t enough to be able to do a tope suicida or Texas Cloverleaf on the way to a 5-star mat classic. You have to be able to act your role, day in and day out. Often, you have to act live, in front of an audience of thousands,...

Carl Weathers passed away peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 1, 2024, leaving an indelible mark on our pop culture. Weathers, who most recently joined the Star Wars galaxy as both a talented director and as the charismatic magistrate Greef Karga, is a legend whose years as a performer on both the big and small screens are worthy of celebration.

Weathers originally made his name in college football, but when his NFL career didn’t pan out, he moved into acting. His linebacker physique made him perfect to play heavyweight champion of the world Apollo Creed in the first Rocky film, and his pop culture immortality was assured. You’ll find him in several iconic ’80s movies, including in one of our genre favorites, Predator.

If you’re interested in seeking out the actor’s work beyond Rocky, Predator, and Star Wars, here are our picks for the best of Carl Weathers in movies and TV.

The late Carl Weathers only appeared in four episodes of the critically acclaimed and beloved comedy series "Arrested Development," but the impact he had on the series feels much larger than that low episode count might imply. Playing a heightened version of himself -- an out-of-work actor who's obsessed with mooching off others -- Weathers frequently stole scenes out from under the hilarious Tobias Fünke (David Cross), as the hopeless man's acting teacher, most notably in a hilarious interaction that introduced the phrase, "Baby, you got a stew goin'!" into the cultural lexicon. 

In a series that featured a revolving door of terrific guest stars, Weathers was one of the funniest and most memorable. According to "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz, we have Weathers himself to thank for the direction and tone of his character on the show. In a 2013 interview with Vulture, Hurwitz explained their original idea for including...

A FanDuel commercial featuring Carl Weathers that was set to air on Super Bowl Sunday is now being adjusted following the actor’s death.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers,” the company said in a statement obtained by TVLine. “Throughout his life, Carl was an iconic talent who had a profound impact on the people he worked with on and off the screen. FanDuel was fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with him during our Super Bowl campaign. We are adjusting our campaign accordingly out of respect for the family during their time of grief.

Carl Weathers is dead at the age of 76. It’s shocking to consider, even though his best-known character, Apollo Creed, in some ways was ultimately defined by his death in 1985’s “Rocky IV.” The franchise went on without him, and ultimately followed his son played by Michael B. Jordan. But for the next 38 years, there was the fact that Weathers was in reality alive, well, in astonishingly great shape, and underutilized.

Now, Weathers has died himself. And given that he was one of Hollywood’s most prominent musclemen of the late ’70s and ’80s, an era defined by fitness-obsessed actors who either were athletes or aspired to be them, 76 feels startlingly young. Especially given how vital and active he was up until the very end, even directing a couple episodes of “The Mandalorian” so good that one wishes he could have, for the sake of that show’s quality, directed more.

Carl Weathers, the actor who starred as boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky series in addition to memorable roles in Predator, Happy Gilmore, and The Mandalorian, died at the age of 76.

Weathers’ family confirmed the actor’s death in a statement to Deadline, noting he died “peacefully in his sleep” Thursday.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he...

We come today bearing tragic news as Carl Weathers, the man who gave us memorable characters like Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" franchise, Chubbs Peterson in "Happy Gilmore," the titular "Action Jackson," and Greef Karga in "The Mandalorian" has left us at the age of 76. His family announced that he passed away yesterday, but the news broke today courtesy of Deadline.

"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers," said his family in a statement obtained by Deadline. "He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."

A natural athlete, Weathers got his start as a college football player at San Diego State University...

Carl Weathers, who starred as Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films and appeared in Predator, The Mandalorian, Happy Gilmore, Action Jackson and dozens of other films and TV shows, died Tuesday, his family announced. He was 76.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”

Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers appeared in more than 75 films and TV shows during his 50-year screen career. He appeared in nine episodes of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian over three season and voiced Combat Carl in...

Tributes have been pouring in for Carl Weathers, the former college American Football player who starred in the Rocky films, as well as Predator and The Mandalorian, following his death on February 1. He was 76.

Weathers passed away in his sleep at home on Thursday.

Speaking on Instagram, Rocky creator Sylvester Stallone said he was “so torn up” at the news.

”Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success… When he walked into that room and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness, but I didn’t realised how great,” said Stallone.

”I never...

Carl Weathers, the former American Football player who starred in the Rocky films opposite Sylvester Stallone and also earned notable credits in Predator and later in life The Mandalorian, has died. He was 76.

Weathers passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Thursday. He was born in New Orleans on January 14 1948, and stood out as a keen athlete in his youth, playing for San Diego State University in the team’s invincible season in 1968 when they won all 11 games.

Speaking on Instagram, Stallone said he was “so torn up” at the news.

”Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life,...

Carl Weathers, the former American Football player who stared in the Rocky films opposite Sylvester Stallone and also earned notable credits in Predator and later in life The Mandalorian, has died. He was 76.

Weathers passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Thursday. He was born in New Orleans on January 14 1948, and stood out as a keen athlete in his youth, playing for San Diego State University in the team’s invincible season in 1968 when they won all 11 games.

He studied drama at the institution and moved into acting in the 1970s, getting his first film credit on Clint Eastwood...

Fans of Sylvester Stallone may know that the actor also has an affinity for art outside of movies. Stallone, in addition to his creative endeavors as an actor, writer and director, also does paintings in his personal time. If you follow Stallone on his official social media accounts, from time to time, you may get a glimpse of pieces he’s been working on. Or maybe just past works that he was keen to share. Stallone also loves to share the works of others that have captured the spirit of his films.

On his official Instagram account, Stallone shared a striking painting that captures one of the many iconic scenes of the first Rocky. In the piece titled The Chosen One, we’re shown a still from the very first scene of the movie where we’re introduced to Rocky Balboa scrapping for change in a bottom-of-the-barrel boxing fight at...

Clockwise from bottom left: Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa (Miramax), Ed Asner in Elf (New Line Cinema), and Edmund Gwenn in Miracle On 34th Street (20th Century Flox)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Tis the season to talk movie Santas. With Christmas upon us, we decided to dig deep into...

Sylvester Stallone struggled to get his 1976 film Rocky made. But with an estimated budget of just $1M, the shoot was hanging in the balance. However, by cutting costs, Rocky was a study in film frugality. Much of Rocky Balboa’s wardrobe was plucked from Stallone’s closet, and the shoot was done in a gritty filmmaking style.

Just how did ‘Rocky’ come under budget?

Keeping Rocky‘s budget from going over was forefront in the minds of the film’s producers. Here are some methods director John G. Avildsen consequently used to keep the Sylvester Stallone-penned film under its $1M budget.

Interiors were shot in LA since an entire 28-day shoot in Philadelphia was too pricey, reported Mental Floss. Subsequently, the Rocky crew quietly shot exteriors using a nonunion crew.

Avildsen would drive around Philadelphia in a van with Stallone and a cameramen inside. However, he would spot an interesting location,...

"In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire ... the A-Team."

So ran the narration at the beginning of the title sequence for the 1983 TV series "The A-Team." The "if you can find them" part always elicited titters from certain younger viewers, as the A-Team's devotion to helping people out as soldiers of fortune clearly didn't extend to being easy to reach. The A-Team was composed of five members, including the leader Hannibal (George Peppard), the charming Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Dirk Benedict), the zany "Howling Mad" Murdoch (Dwight Schultz), and their black Gmc Vandura van.

Like the Italian Stallion, the "Rocky" films have seen some real highs and lows. Now spanning almost 50 years, it's a franchise that offers boundless entertainment, even at its most baffling. These movies are also formulaic to a "T." Even if you've yet to watch a single one, you probably already know what to expect: Rocky Balboa -- or Adonis Creed -- will be down on his luck when he's presented with a new opportunity to prove himself in the boxing ring. Or he'll be riding high only to get knocked flat on his ass and have to pick himself back up. Cue the training montage. It's predictable, but damn if it doesn't work like gangbusters, time and time over.

For the most part, the titles of the "Rocky" films are numerically ordered, which makes it pretty easy to figure out which one to watch after which. The only outlier is "Rocky Balboa,...

It’s a lean month for new original content on HBO/Max. November will see the return of two scripted series in Julia and Rap Sh!t, both of which are debuting their respective second seasons, but this month’s fresh highlight is likely to be Bookie, a new comedy series from the partnership of The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre, and Nick Bakay. The show tracks an LA bookie called Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco), whose business is in peril as California movies to legalize sports gambling.

Elsewhere in November, there quite a few interesting documentaries to keep an eye on, and two that jump out as “must watch”. The first is Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, which chronicles the aging comedian’s life and career. The second is the previously-released Little Richard: I Am Everything, which tries to peel back the whitewashed canon of Richard Penniman in a true...

Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in ‘Julia’ season 2 (Photograph by Sebastein Gonon/Max)

Max’s November 2023 schedule includes season two of Julia starring Sarah Lancashire as Julia Child and the return of Rap Sh!t with Aida Osman and Mia KaMillion. Bookie, a new comedy about sports gambling created by Chuck Lorre, makes its debut on November 30th with Sebastian Maniscalco starring as an LA bookie.

HBO documentaries Albert Brooks: Defending My Life and South to Black Power will stream on Max this November, along with CNN Films’ Little Richard: I Am Everything.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In November 2023:

November 1

Act of Valor (2012)

After the Thin Man (1936)

Aliens (1986)

The Ant Bully (2006)

Arthur Christmas (2011)

The Avengers (1998)

The Bachelor (1999)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Bells Are Ringing (1960)

Black Beauty (1994)

Boys’ Night Out (1962)

Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)

Brigadoon (1954)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Christmas Cookie Challenge, Seasons...

Sylvester Stallone‘s Rocky is a classic film about a small-time Philadelphia boxer who gets to fight a heavyweight champion—the redemption tale centered on hard-luck Rocky’s quest for self-respect. The story hit a nerve with moviegoers and subsequently spawned a multitude of sequels. Today, is Sylvester Stallone the oldest living member of the Rocky cast?

Who is still alive from the ‘Rocky’ series of films?

The Rocky films created iconic characters beloved by film fans. These include Rocky and Adrian Balboa, Paulie Penning, Apollo Creed, Micky Goldmill, Duke Evers, Clubber Lang, Ivan and Ludmilla Drago, and Tommy Gunn. But is Sylvester Stallone currently the oldest living member of the Rocky cast?

Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky Balboa, is the oldest living member of the cast at 77, but he doesn’t share that distinction alone. Talia Shire played his wife, Adrian Balboa, and is also 77.

Carl Weathers, who played...

Some unfortunate news to report, folks. Burt Young, the legendary character actor who co-starred with JoBlo’s beloved Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, is dead at 83. Deadline was the first to report the news. Young famously played Rocky’s brother-in-law Paulie, Adrian’s (Talia Shire) brother, a wannabe tough guy who stays in Rocky’s corner despite everything. Young was nominated for an Oscar for the original film, and indeed, Paulie was a complex character. In the first film, he’s Adrian’s abusive older brother. By the third film, his mounting insecurity is confronted by the Italian Stallion, leading to him becoming a corner man for his climactic fight with Mr T’s Clubber Lang in Rocky III. He goes on to back him up for his bout with Ivan Drago in IV before giving power of attorney to a crooked lawyer in V, temporarily bankrupting the family, only for...

With Expend4bles more than likely bringing to a close the franchise Sylvester Stallone created over 13 years ago, we wanted to know what movie in the legendary actors filmography is your favorite? Does his original creation of Rocky remain your favorite all these years later or do you find some of his iconic 90’s action films more your speed? Or perhaps you a true purist and find Italian Stallion to be quintessential Stallone! If you don’t see your favorite listed, please click other and let us know what it is (and why) in the comments.

What is your Favorite Sylvester Stallone Film?Italian Stallion (1970)Death Race 2000 (1975)Rocky (1976)F.I.S.T (1978)Paradise Alley (1978)Rocky II (1979)Nighthawks (1981)Rocky III (1982)First Blood (1982)Rhinestone (1984)Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)Rocky IV (1985)Cobra (1986)Over The Top (1987)Rambo III (1988)Lock Up (1989)Tango & Cash (1989)Rocky V (1990)Oscar (1991)Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992)Cliffhanger (1993)Demolition Man (1993)The Specialist...

To quote the great Taylor Swift, “August slipped away like a moment in time.” September has arrived, and with it, a countdown to certain films and shows leaving Netflix at the end of the 30-day month. Penny Marshall’s “A League of Their Own” (1992) has one more month to teach you that “There’s no crying in baseball,” and why not watch it in support of the Prime Video series that can’t seem to catch a break? If you’re more in the mood for a childish story and magical whimsy, the person you need is “Nanny McPhee” (2005).

Franchise films exiting the streamer’s rotation this month include “Rocky,” “Rocky II,” “Rocky III,” “Rocky IV” and “Rocky V.” Along with those wrestling movies, other films departing at the end of September are “Snow White & the Huntsman,” “Star Trek,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Titanic” and “Warm Bodies.”

Here’s...

Pro wrestler Terry Funk has died, according to WWE and pro wrestler Mick Foley. Funk was 79 years old.

Along with wrestling, the highly respected performer worked in film, including multiple Sylvester Stallone projects as far back as 1978’s “Paradise Alley.” Funk also appeared in “Over the Top,” did stunts in “Rocky III” and choreographed the climactic fight in “Rocky V.”

Funk was also featured in the cult classic film “Road House” and Johnny Knoxville’s “The Ringer.” He also had TV roles on shows such as “Quantum Leap” and “Swamp Thing.”

Funk was best known in his later years for pioneering “hardcore” wrestling, which involves using weapons and sharp objects, such as barbed wire, to both simulate and cause actual damage in order to increase the drama in a match. This often involved copious amounts of bleeding. Funk was also infamous for wrestling multiple “retirement” matches before quickly coming back afterward.

Clockwise from upper left: Superman II (Warner Bros.), Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Paramount), Gremlins (Warner Bros.), The Last Airbender (Paramount), Twister (Warner Bros.), Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Disney)Graphic: AVClub

What we think of today as summer blockbuster movies arguably began in 1975 with Jaws.

Plot: A deep dive into all the great movies that came out in 1982.

Review: Everyone has their own take on the greatest year ever for cinema. Scholars tend to cite 1939, as that’s the year Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Gunga Din, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and several other seminal classics came out. Modern film fans tend to cite 1999, thanks to The Matrix, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Magnolia and many more. I’d make a strong case for 2007 myself, with Into the Wild, The Assassination of Jesse James, Gone Baby Gone, Zodiac, There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, and others. But, if you’re a movie geek, one year stands above them all, and it’s 1982.

Think about it. E.T., The Thing, Star Trek II, Rocky III, Poltergeist, Blade Runner, the list goes on and on. And now, 1982 is getting a...