Schwarzenegger's Machiavellian move to trick Stallone into a flop
Once upon a time, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were among the biggest stars of world cinema. The two competed for many years, vying not only for the attention of beautiful women but also for film projects. Before the screen tough guys became friends, they were known to throw obstacles in each other's paths. They recalled one such situation in their latest interview.
21 April 2024 13:06
The story of their rivalry has already become legendary. And with good reason – after all, the heroes themselves are legends of cinema. Great appearance, the demeanor of an unconquered tough guy, dozens of action films to their credit, and a shared fondness (sometimes for the same women) – Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone had a lot in common. This often led to them getting in each other's way.
The efforts made to outdo "the other" became almost obsessive. Each wanted to have a better physique, kill more people on screen than the rival, hold a bigger weapon in their hands, and finally – star in a better movie. Ultimately, it was these ambitions that brought the actors the greatest profit and increased their popularity. It turns out that the "Terminator" star planted a cuckoo's egg in the form of a weak script for his opponent, counting on him to engage in a project that did not bode too well. And that's exactly what happened.
Schwarzenegger set Stallone up. The movie was a total flop
In an amusing situation (though certainly not for Stallone at that moment), the actors discussed during an interview with TMZ. It turns out that Schwarzenegger deliberately inclined his rival to sign the most unfavorable contract of his career. To do this, he created a cunning plan and resorted to a clever ruse. Best of all, the "Rambo" star had no idea about it until now.
In the conversation, Schwarzenegger admitted that he was, in a sense, behind Stallone's involvement in the film "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" by Roger Spottiswoode. Wanting to trick his competitor into a project that didn’t promise well, Arnold convinced his agent that he was interested in an engagement. This information was then communicated to Sylvester’s representative.
Independently, the "Predator" star also contacted the production director. Contrary to Schwarzenegger's alleged plans, the comedy's creators and Stallone's manager did everything they could to make him star in the action film ultimately. As is known today, this decision did not fare well for the actor. The 1992 film was "awarded" three Golden Raspberries: for Worst Actor, Actress, and Screenplay by Blake Snyder, William Davies, and William Osborne. Today, on Rotten Tomatoes, only 14 per cent of critics and 21 per cent of viewers rated it positively.
During the interview with TMZ, the recipient of the infamous statuette expressed his surprise. When Schwarzenegger admitted that "the only way I could catch up with him [Stallone] was to make him stumble", Stallone briefly commented: "Can you be more Machiavellian?". Hearing for the first time that the former Governor of California wanted his rival to fail, Stallone couldn’t believe his ears. – unbelievable – he briefly commented, hoping these newly revealed revelations would not affect their friendly relationship.
