Fifty years on from the release of his breakthrough film Rocky, Sylvester Stallone remains a knockout screen icon.
And despite being well established among the most successful stars in Hollywood history, he’s got no thoughts of slowing down or retiring, only to keep moving forward.
Sly says: “I question myself: how much is enough? When do you stop trying to prove yourself? The answer is never!”
The 79-year-old cinema legend adds: “Physically you are going to fall apart but the mind is a muscle that keeps going.”
And the latest project he turned that creative mind to is gangster drama Tulsa King, a streaming series now in its third season and a huge hit around the world, proving many of the doubters wrong.
“People were asking ‘Why is Stallone doing TV?’ Everyone was sceptical. I love that. But it worked and I had a feeling it would.”
A key element in the show’s success, according to Stallone, is that it exists to entertain, not moralize. He explains:
“It’s the post office’s job to send messages, that’s not the role of storytellers.”Sylvester Stallone
That understanding of what the audience wants is evident over the next few pages as we look back at some of his famous movies, from Rocky to Rambo, Cliffhanger to Cobra, The Expendables and so many others. His continues to be an incredibly impactful career.
This article first appeared in Issue 30 (Spring 2026) of Hollywood International Filmmaker. Text transcribed from the printed page for this demo.
As it appeared in print
