Sylvester Stallone – A Greedy, Gluttonous Hypocrite

Years ago when Sylvester Stallone was trying to capitalize on the success of The Contender (2004) and make a big screen comeback with Rocky, he contacted Carl Weathers to ask permission to use footage of him and his likeness (Apollo Creed) in Rocky Balboa.  Weathers stuck his hand out – not in an act of comradarie – rather, the way you do when you’re waiting for some serious cash.  Stallone wasn’t pleased and ended up saying: “Whatever happened to loyalty, Apollo Greed?”

Now you probably know where I’m going with this, but there’s one more example I need to raise here.  Cast your mind back to August, 2013.  Stallone was rounding up the regulars for “one last ride” with The Expendables (ironically with no intentions of stopping at a third movie) and on his list was Bruce Willis.  Bruce Willis however had other plans, demanding one million dollars for every 24 hours on set.  In response, Stallone slammed Willis on Twitter: “GREEDY AND LAZY …. A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE”.

Greed, eh?

Well look who has just changed the DNA of The Expendables in an attempt to earn an extra buck and expand the Stallone name in an attempt to stay relevant.  Stallone has declared that the movie will be PG-13, even admitting that he simply wants a larger audience, going so far as to say he “owes” the younger generation.  Sorry Stallone, but few 13 year olds know who the fuck you even are.  Fewer still care.

GREEDY AND LAZY …… A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE
— Sylvester Stallone (@TheSlyStallone) August 6, 2013

Now there could be a certain logic to his sudden new found outlook, had the previous Expendables movies struggled at the box office.  Had he said… hey, people just aren’t buying it with the “R” rating, that wouldn’t be as bad (although I’d still want no Expendables movie at all in that case).  But the last two movies grossed almost $600,000,000 at the box office alone with an R-Rating.  So this is not a pragmatic decision.  It’s gluttony.  It’s over indulgence.  It’s greed.

You “owe” prepubscents, you fucking sellout?  You owe us!  The core fanbase, as Schwarzenegger rightly put it, are your best customers.  You must put them first and the rest will fall into place.  So it’s funny to see a man who once shit on Weathers over “loyalty” turn his back on his core fanbase.  When the chips are down, Stallone demands loyalty and consults fanboys on his official forum.  When things are good and he’s back to being an A-Lister, his core fans become expendable, and he’s never to be heard of again on his official forums and he doesn’t give a fuck about them.  Fuck that, you won’t get anyone from this site kissing the ass of a person like that.

Lastly, a word on irony.  Stallone lectured that greed laid the road to failure.  Well in your lust for more at the cost of cutting off the balls of this retro action franchise, Sylvester, you could find that not only might more people not show up to your movie, you could actually lose customers.

It might just happen.