Sylvester Stallone won’t stop punching for “Rocky” rights.
The 76-year-old filmmaker criticized producer Irwin Winkler, 91, on Saturday in an explosive social media post over ownership of the iconic boxing franchise.
Stallone wrote and starred in 1976’s “Rocky,” as well as its five sequels, and even sat in the director’s chair for some.
Alongside a “very flattering” painting of Winkler with a knife coming out of his mouth, the “Rambo” star wrote: “After IRWIN controlled ‘ROCKY’ for over 47 years, and now ‘CREED’, I would really like to at least a little [of] WHAT ABOUT MY RIGHTS BACK.”
He continued: “Before I pass it on to ONLY YOUR CHILDREN, I believe this would be an HONEST gesture [91-year-old] gentleman?”
Winkler’s son, David, is a producer on the “Rocky” spin-off series “Creed”.
“This is a painful topic that eats into my soul because I wanted to leave something of Rocky for my kids, but it’s always great to hear from the loyal fans,” the New Yorker added. “Keep punching.”
Stallone also criticized David’s recent novel “The Arrangement: A Love Story”, in a separate post, calling it “by far [one of] the worst” books he has ever read.
“If you ever run out of toilet paper, PLEASE get this one, you won’t be disappointed. It’s very absorbing,” the “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” star written.
He wrote that the book is “an unbearably worthless fallacy written by the painfully untalented David Winkler, the son of the remarkably untalented and parasitic producer of ‘Rocky’ and ‘Creed’.”
Elsewhere in his Instagram post, Stallone stated that he “really respected and LOVED Winkler’s co-producer Robert Chartoff”.
Chartoff – who died in 2015 – “had real talent and soul” and “died way too early”.
“Had it not been for Winkler, there would have been at least three more ‘Rockys,’ that would have been great,” Stallone continued. “Honestly, those crew members are the worst [un-human] creatures I’ve ever met in the movie industry. I will forever love and keep hitting the loyal fans.!!! REMEMBER IT FEELS GOOD TO ERASE YOUR HEART!”
Winkler and Chartoff were both credited as the producers of the first five “Rocky” movies. For 2006’s Rocky Balboa, David and Irwin’s other son, Charles Winkler, were also added as producers.
“Creed” – which was released in 2015 – and its 2018 sequel were both produced by Stallone. Irwin, David and Charles also helmed the series, which follows Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he battles his way to victory with Rocky by his side.