# The Oscar-winning director Sylvester Stallone refused to work with: “I’ll want to kill you”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-oscar-winning-director-sylvester-stallone-refused-to-work-with-ill-want-to-kill-you/
- Published: 2026-08-01T01:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-01T02:04:52+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/oscar-winning-director-sylvester-stallone-refused-work-with/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Stallone declined Avildsen’s offer to direct Rocky Balboa.
- He wanted full responsibility for the sequel.
- The “kill you” comment was framed as a joke.

## Summary

Sylvester Stallone declined John G. Avildsen’s offer to direct Rocky Balboa, saying he wanted to retain responsibility for the film himself. The reported remark that he would “want to kill” Avildsen if the project failed was presented as a joke, underscoring Stallone’s determination to control the final chapter of the character he created.

Avildsen, who won the Academy Award for directing the original Rocky, approached Stallone about directing the 2006 sequel roughly two weeks before filming. Stallone had written and starred in the film, and said he preferred it to remain “one unit and one vision”, despite acknowledging the physical demands of making a boxing film.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.