In The Late 80s, Sylvester Stallone Turned Down A Massive Payday To Make A “Rambo” Sequel

ByJoseph Gibsonon November 16, 2022inArticles›Celebrity News

Sylvester Stallone was once one of the highest paid movie stars in Hollywood, but nobody ever made so much money that they didn’t still lose the occasional bit of sleep regretting the big checks they turned down. In a recent Hollywood Reporter interview promoting his new show “Tulsa King,” Stallone looked back on his long career as an actor, screenwriter, and director, and revealed an interesting tidbit about that very subject.

When asked the most he was ever paid for a role, Stallone dodged the question and provided an answer to an even more interesting one: the biggest check he ever turned down. “I turned down $34 [million],” said Stallone. He went on:

“We were doing ‘Rambo III.’ We thought it was going to be the biggest hit — this was before it came out. And I was paid a fortune for it. Then they go, ‘We want ‘Rambo IV.’ Here it is: Pay or play, 34.’ I go, ‘Let’s not jump the gun here …’”

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Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

“Rambo III” came out back in 1988, which means that’s roughly the equivalent of turning down $85 million in 2022 dollars, an insane movie star salary for a single role, even in a blockbuster sequel. And it seems that Stallone still regrets the decision, at least a little bit:

“For real. That’s not a joke. Oh boy, what an idiot. Now I think about that and … wow.”

Stallone’s reluctance to do a third “Rambo” sequel meant that the “Rambo IV” didn’t end up happening, at least not until 2008 when the legacy sequel “Rambo” came out. By that time it’s a safe bet that Stallone didn’t make anywhere near $34 million for the film, which he also co-wrote and directed.

He’s seen his fair share of huge paydays, but Sylvester Stallone still remembers the $34 million he walked away from back in his 1980s heyday.

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Sylvester Stallone Is Putting His $6 Million Watch Collection Up For Auction Next Month

ByJoseph Gibsonon May 20, 2024inArticles›Celebrity News

One of the most notable watch collectors in the world is film star Sylvester Stallone , who has been a star in the watch world as well for much of his career. Now, Stallone and the Sotheby’s auction house are bringing his one-of-a-kind collection of timepieces to the auction block next month, and together, they’re estimated to be worth some $6 million.

That’s an especially high sum when you realize that the part of his collection that Stallone is parting with is only made up of 11 watches all in all. The crown jewel of the collection is undoubtedly Stallone’s Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, one of the rarest and most expensive watches ever made. Another Grandmaster Chime set the record for the most expensive watch of all time when it sold for $31 million, and Stallone’s own Chime cost $2.5 million. Analysts reportedly expect the watch to sell for somewhere between that sum and $5 million at the auction, but Stallone’s celebrity, as well as the rarity of a Grandmaster Chime being on the auction block in the first place (this will be the first time such a piece has been up for commercial, non-charitable bidding), could push the price significantly higher.

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

This is a watch so rare and so valuable that Stallone has never even taken it out of its box, let alone put it on. He speaks extensively on the Grandmaster Chime as well as the other watches in his collection in a video on the Sotheby’s YouTube channel:

“The one thing that is pervasive throughout all these watches is that they attract me emotionally. It’s not about keeping time, it’s about keeping in step with where you are in life,” Stallone told Sotheby’s. In addition to the Grandmaster Chime, Stallone is also selling two other Patek Philippe pieces: a Nautilus reference 5711/1300A-001 from 2021 said to be worth anywhere from $200,000 to $400,000, and another Nautilus worth a mere $50,000-$100,000.

Stallone is also letting go of four watches from Panerai, a brand he has been enthusiastic about not just collecting but promoting in public and even in his movies. The Panerai Reference PAM00382 Luminor Submersible 1950 going up for auction was featured in “The Expendables 2,” and the winning bidder will also receive a signed poster for the movie. Budget-conscious watch collectors may be interested in Stallone’s gold Piaget Polo Grande, the cheapest watch in the collection, with an estimated value range between $6,000 and $12,000.

The auction is set to commence on June 5th, 2024.

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