Category: Rocky

AMC’s RockyFest Scores a Knockout!

Craig / / 2004, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4, Rocky 5, TV

SZoner, JPolli1034, e-mailed to say that AMC‘s recent Rockyfest brought AMC some of the highest ratings that it’s had all season.

Here’s what MediaWeek.com had to say:

Ratings Box: What’s Hot/What’s Not

-AMC’s RockyFest Scores a Knockout:


AMC’s RockyFest: 5 Titles in 5 Nights from June 28-July 2 lifted the cable network to increases of 42 percent in households (.84 to 1.2), 92 percent in adults 18-49 delivery (380,000 to 728,000), and 80 percent in adults 25-54 delivery (384,000 to 722,000) over the June 2004 time period average. RockyFest, which averaged a 1.2 household rating, is now the second highest rated stunt on AMC this season to-date.

This just proves what we’ve known all along. People still love and, more imortantly, want to see Rocky. The time is right for Rocky VI.

– Craig Zablo [July 11, 2004]

Paul Thomas Anderson Credits “Rocky”!

Craig / / 2004, Celebs, Honors, Rocky

Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes wrote in to tell of another filmmaker influenced by Sly:

Hey kids,

I got this recent interview from the Paul Thomas Anderson site, Coffee and Cigarettes.  Paul Thomas Anderson credits Stallone’s ROCKY in influencing him to become a filmmaker.

It would be a personal dream of mine to have Sly work with PTA the way Tom Cruise did in Magnolia.

 

Question: Was there any one film that you remembered seeing when you were younger that instantly made you realize that you wanted to be a film director?
Paul Thomas Anderson: So many films that I saw — Jaws, Wizard of Oz, Rocky, all the Disney movies.

Thanks Jazz!
– Craig Zablo

Rocky vs The World

Craig / / 2004, Rocky

Jorge writes:I wanted to share a link on an interesting article maybe you can post on your next batch of news or whatever. The article is about a sequel to the Rocky game that came out about two years ago. Here’s the article and the link.

Rocky Vs. The World

Internal development sources from Europe have given IGN the details on the sequel to the sleeper hit Rocky. It’s tentatively called Rocky Vs. The World, it’s online for both PS2 and Xbox (sorry, no GameCube version), and the engine is nearly identical to the first game. The new online title features more characters, stages, and upgraded visuals. Look for this to appear on PS2 and Xbox by the end of the year.


Thanks Jorge! – Craig Zablo

R. Kelly May Score New ‘Rocky’ Stage Musical

Craig / / 2004, Celebs, Rocky

R. Kelly May Score New ‘Rocky’ Stage Musical

Robert Simonson of Playbill On-Line writes that the producers of a stage version of the Sylvester Stallone film “Rocky” are in talks with singer/songwriter R. Kelly about writing the score for the show. Variety also reported the news about Kelly.

Thomas Meehan, the three-time Tony-winning for Annie, The Producers and Hairspray, is already on board to write the book. The spokesman added that Kelly was in talks to join the creative team.

R. Kelly (whose real name is Robert Kelly) has written songs for Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross and others. His 1996 single “I Believe I Can Fly,” won three Grammy Awards.

Rocky spawned four sequels and would probably work well on stage. Two songs from the “Rocky” films-“Gonna Fly Now,” an instumental by Bill Conti, and “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor – became No. 1 hits.

For the full report click [HERE].

– Craig Zablo

Sly Guests on AMC’s “Shootout”

Craig / / 2003, Cop Land, Rocky, Rocky 6, TV

Sylvester Stallone Guest Stars on AMC’s ‘Sunday Morning ShootOut’ on December 7 at 11 AM

for Sun. (Dec. 7) –(BUSINESS WIRE)–

AMC‘s weekly half-hour series, “Sunday Morning ShootOut,” hosted by Peter Guber and Peter Bart, brings the smarts and spin of Sunday morning political shows to the world of entertainment.

THIS WEEK’S GUEST: Actor, writer and director Sylvester Stallone. Since achieving worldwide fame with Rocky, which won an Oscar for Best Picture in 1976, Stallone has acted and co-written such successful films as First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Rambo III. His acting credits include Get Carter, Driven, Demolition Man and Copland, which garnered him international critical and audience acclaim. Most recently, Stallone has completed filming Avenging Angelo, co-starring Madeline Stowe.

DISCUSSION TOPICS: 1) The producers of Rocky offered you $150,000 to cast Ryan O’Neal in the title role. What made you turn it down? 2) Why did you agree to take a major pay cut for the film Copland? 3) Lost
Souls Seeking Redemption, Rocky VI — is this a parallel to your own life and life experiences? 4) Your upcoming Rampart Scandal delves into the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. What made you choose this piece and how did it come about?

WHEN: The episode will air on Sunday, December 7 at 11 am ET/PT on the AMC cable network. The episode can also be viewed at http://movies.yahoo.com, beginning at 12 Noon (PT).

BACKGROUND: “Sunday Morning ShootOut” is a new, half-hour weekly series on AMC hosted by entertainment industry veterans, Peter Guber and Peter Bart. Guber is the chairman of Mandalay Pictures, former CEO of Sony Pictures, the producer of dozens of Hollywood‘s most successful movies including Midnight Express, Batman, Rainman, Basic Instinct. Bart is editor-in-chief of Variety, and former Hollywood reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. In his career as an executive at Paramount Pictures and as president of Lorimar, Bart played a major role creating classics like The Godfather, Rosemary’s Baby and The Postman Always Rings Twice.

Like other Sunday morning debate shows, the sparks fly here as prominent producers, directors, writers and stars join the hosts to debate all sides of the week’s biggest stories in the world of movies and entertainment. The experts provide informed and spirited perspectives on the winners and losers at the box-office, the rising and falling fortunes of the stars and studios themselves and the emerging trends that are forever reshaping the business of entertainment.

The pic above comes from an ad in Entertainment Weekly and the text from Business Wire. – Craig Zablo

Chuck Wepner’s Attorney Announce Lawsuit to be Filed

Craig / / 2003, Celebs, Rocky

Way back on October 12, 2003, StalloneZone reported that Chuck Wepner was planning to sue Sly for “using his name.” Today the the Associated Press posted an article titled, Boxer Suing Stallone for ‘Rocky’ Films.

Chuck Wepner’s lawyers announced Wepner was suing Sly for illegally using Wepner’s name to promote the Rocky films and merchandise. Wepner, will seek $15 million in damages. The suit will be filed next week in New Jersey State Court.

Sly ‘s attorneys had no comment.

  • Craig Zablo