Sylvester Stallone is one of the most successful Italian-American actors of all-time. It is difficult to imagine that there was a time in his life when he was destitute and sleeping in a bus station. His life has completely changed since those days and he has starred in many blockbuster movies. Here are five of the best Sylvester Stallone characters of all time.
Rocky
The role for which Sylvester Stallone is the most famous is Rocky. It was the first movie in this series that shot him to fame and led to his success in the film industry. The original film was released in 1976 and he played the role of boxer Rocky Balboa. Not only did Stallone star in this movie, he was also the writer. John G. Avildsen directed the first ‘Rocky’ film, which grossed $225 million at the box office. There were six sequels to this movie and Stallone played Rocky in all of them.
Rambo
The Rambo series of films are the next set of movies by which Sylvester Stallone is most associated with after the ‘Rocky’ series of films. In this series of movies, Stallone plays John R. Rambo, who is a war veteran relying on his skills to fight off abusive law enforcement. The first action film in the series was released in 1982 and is based on ‘First Blood’ by David Morrell. The movie was directed by Ted Kitcheff and the screenplay was co-written by Stallone along with Michael Kozoll and William Sackheim. There were three sequels to this film before Stallone retired the character.
Cobra
Stallone starred in the title role in this 1986 action film which he also wrote. The film was directed by George P. Cosmatos and it also starred Brigitte Nielson and Reni Santoni. Although the film was hugely criticized by critics, it became the number one film in the United States after its release and grossed $160 million at the box office.
Barney Ross- The Expendables
Stallone co-wrote and directed the 2010 film ‘The Expendables’ as well as starring in the movie as Barney Ross. His character is one of a group of elite mercenaries who are dispatched to rescue hostages. The first movie in this series grossed $274.5 million at the worldwide box office. ‘The Expendables 2’ was released in 2012 followed by ‘The Expendables 3’ in 2014.
Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Walker- Cliffhanger
In the 1993 action adventure film ‘Cliffhanger’, Sylvester Stallone plays Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Walker who is a range who is dispatched to rescue two people who are stranded on a peak in the Colorado Rockies. Stallone co-wrote this movie with Michael France and it was directed by Renny Harlin. The film also starred John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Leon, Paul Winfield, and Ralph Waite. The movie was made on a budget of $70 million and grossed $225 million at the worldwide box office.
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