There are few things Sylvester Stallone loves more than starring in franchises, with the action icon having reprised several roles over and over again, while he’s hardly above boarding a pre-existing property, either.
Having already played Rocky Balboa eight times, the Italian Stallion is expected to return to our screens next year when Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut on Creed III, while there’s also been talk of another solo story headlined by the aging pugilist as well. Throw in his five outings as John Rambo along with three appearances each as The Expendables‘ Barney Ross and Escape Plan‘s Ray Breslin and we’re talking at least 20 movies spread across just four characters.
Then you’ve got Spy Kids 3D: Game Over, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Suicide Squad, not to mention the in-development Demolition Man sequel and the potential for his upcoming superhero thriller Samaritan to launch a multi-film series. However, Rocky will always remain the definitive role of his illustrious career, and Stallone has now revealed that he’s working on a prequel series for streaming.
The 74 year-old took to social media and dropped some details about the pitch, which could mimic his own life when he was broke and unemployed at 22 before finally catching his big break several years year, and you can read what he had to say below.
“I started out this morning by writing a treatment for a Rocky prequel for streaming. Ideally 10 episodes for a few seasons to really get to the heart of the characters in their younger years. Imagine a time machine that will simply transport us back to the origins of Rocky, a cinematic world brimming with characters that have been beloved by people around the world for nearly five decades!”
There’s arguably no need for a Rocky prequel show to even exist, but it’s a brand with built-in name recognition and wide-ranging appeal, given that the franchise has made over $1.65 billion at the box office and released a new installment in every decade since the 1970s, so there are definitely going to be more than a few interested parties.
