Boxer Suing Stallone for 'Rocky' Films
NEW YORK - The boxer who was the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone (news)'s "Rocky" films plans to file a lawsuit against the actor for illegally using his name to promote the films and other merchandise, attorneys said Friday.
Chuck Wepner, 65, is seeking $15 million in damages from the right of publicity claim, said his attorney Anthony Mango. The suit will be filed next week in New Jersey State Court.
"Stallone is keenly aware that having a movie based on true story adds an appeal and he capitalizes on that, but has never given Chuck anything back," Mango said.
Wepner fought Muhammad Ali in March 1975 and went 15 rounds before he was knocked out. Stallone was at the bout and went on to write the screenplay for "Rocky."
"That night I went home and I had the beginning of my character. I had him now. I was going to make a creation called Rocky Balboa, a man from the streets, a walking cliche of sorts, the all-American tragedy, a man who didn't have much mentality but had incredible emotion and patriotism and spirituality and good nature even though nature had not been good to him," according to the actor's Web site.
Stallone's attorneys did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
The 1976 film won Academy Awards (news - web sites) for best picture, film editing and directing.
Mango said Wepner waited almost 28 years before filing the suit because he always expected Stallone to compensate him.
"Stallone said there was going to be something in this for Chuck. But he was giving him shallow promises to placate him. Chuck took him as a man of his word, but then finally realized it was never going to happen," Mango said.
Theater, DVD and video sales from the five "Rocky" movies total about $1 billion, Mango said.
Here is the link.
NEW YORK - The boxer who was the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone (news)'s "Rocky" films plans to file a lawsuit against the actor for illegally using his name to promote the films and other merchandise, attorneys said Friday.
Chuck Wepner, 65, is seeking $15 million in damages from the right of publicity claim, said his attorney Anthony Mango. The suit will be filed next week in New Jersey State Court.
"Stallone is keenly aware that having a movie based on true story adds an appeal and he capitalizes on that, but has never given Chuck anything back," Mango said.
Wepner fought Muhammad Ali in March 1975 and went 15 rounds before he was knocked out. Stallone was at the bout and went on to write the screenplay for "Rocky."
"That night I went home and I had the beginning of my character. I had him now. I was going to make a creation called Rocky Balboa, a man from the streets, a walking cliche of sorts, the all-American tragedy, a man who didn't have much mentality but had incredible emotion and patriotism and spirituality and good nature even though nature had not been good to him," according to the actor's Web site.
Stallone's attorneys did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
The 1976 film won Academy Awards (news - web sites) for best picture, film editing and directing.
Mango said Wepner waited almost 28 years before filing the suit because he always expected Stallone to compensate him.
"Stallone said there was going to be something in this for Chuck. But he was giving him shallow promises to placate him. Chuck took him as a man of his word, but then finally realized it was never going to happen," Mango said.
Theater, DVD and video sales from the five "Rocky" movies total about $1 billion, Mango said.
Here is the link.
Vampy -- that was my FIRST thought when i started reading the article -- i think maybe he waited 15 years to see if the movies had made any bigger profits q :roll: at some ppl
he'll never get the money after 28 years of that classic series...