How Arnold Schwarzenegger forced Stallone to star in the worst film of his life - and was satisfied (15 photos)

Sylvester Stallone, the man who wrote Rocky in three days and became the symbol of an entire era of action films, turns 80 on July 6, 2026. Over 50 years, he starred in dozens of films, won an Oscar and two Golden Globes, but his true story unfolded offscreen. Ten years of war with Schwarzenegger: provocations, mutual backstabbing, and one vase of tulips thrown across a table at a ceremony in 1977. We tell the story—from their first meeting to their unexpected confession—in a Netflix documentary series.





January 1977: Tulips in Flight

On January 29, 1977, the 34th Golden Globe Awards ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. A 30-year-old Stallone sat in the audience with seven nominations for "Rocky" – expecting triumph. At the next table sat young Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had just been awarded the New Star of the Year award for his role in Stay Hungry (1976).



Stallone at the 1977 Golden Globes next to Sophia Loren. That night, Rocky was losing nomination after nomination – and his patience was running out.

When Rocky kept losing nominations, Schwarzenegger, according to Stallone, was openly amused.

"He sat there and grinned insolently—over and over again," Stallone recalled in an interview with Variety.

When the winner of the Oscar was finally announced, Stallone's nerves gave out. He grabbed a vase of flowers and threw it across the table.

"I picked up this huge vase of tulips and lilies and threw it right in his direction. And that started a 10-year war," he said.

Schwarzenegger ducked the challenge. The challenge had been thrown down—literally.





January 1977: two future enemies at the same ceremony. They had 33 years to wait before their first film together.

Before that evening, they hadn't met. Afterward, they couldn't stand each other in the same galaxy. At least, that's what Stallone himself said.

A Race of Muscles, Corpses, and Guns

In the 1980s, both actors dominated the American box office. Stallone reigned supreme with the Rocky and Rambo franchises, while Schwarzenegger was on the offensive with The Terminator (1984), Commando (1985), and Predator (1987). There was room for two, but both wanted to be the only one.



Predator (1987). Schwarzenegger admitted that the size of weapons in the frame was a fundamental issue for him in his competition with Stallone.

The rivalry reached the point of absurdity. Schwarzenegger later admitted that he and his team monitored each of their competitor's new films—how many enemies were killed, what weapons were used, who had the most muscular torso.

"We had to kill more people, and everything had to be more sophisticated, and everyone had to have the biggest gun," Schwarzenegger said in an interview with the Graham Norton Show.

Ultimately, he demanded machine guns, which in reality are only attached to helicopters.



"Rambo: First Blood," 1982. The five-film franchise became one of Schwarzenegger's greatest irritants—and a source of perpetual rivalry.

The press fueled the fire. In October 1985, Schwarzenegger hinted to The News of the World that Stallone was using stunt doubles in his fight scenes. Stallone responded in the spirit of Tango & Cash (1989): Stallone's character casually tosses out, "I loved you in Conan the Barbarian," to the villain before punching him. The blows, albeit onscreen, flew in both directions.

Hollywood's Greatest Scam

In 1991, Schwarzenegger was offered the script for Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! He read it and realized: failure was guaranteed. The script was frankly weak. But instead of simply refusing, Arnold decided to use this to his advantage.



"Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!" (1992). 3 Razini Awards, 14% on Rotten Tomatoes. Stallone called it the worst film of his career.

He deliberately leaked information to Hollywood about the supposedly overwhelming interest in the project. The producers passed the rumor on to Stallone, who called his rival directly: was it true he was going to star? "Yes, it's a brilliant idea, a wonderful script," Schwarzenegger replied. Stallone immediately contacted his agent: "Any way, I'm doing this movie." A week later, Arnold learned of the signed contract. "I was over the moon," he admitted many years later on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The film was released in February 1992 and won three Razzie Awards, including Worst Actor. Schwarzenegger confirmed the story publicly—and was completely satisfied. "It's 100 percent true. In those days, we were doing everything we could to beat each other to it," he said in a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.



Schwarzenegger read the script first, privately calling it "a piece of shit"—and figured out how to use that to his advantage.

"He was superior—superior to me. He had everything: the body, the strength, the character. I was constantly getting punched in the face, but Arnold could go out and fight a dragon and come back with a Band-Aid on his finger." — Sylvester Stallone on Schwarzenegger, Netflix, 2023

Planet Hollywood: Enemies at the Same Table

The turning point came where it was least expected—in the restaurant business. On October 22, 1991, the first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City. Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Demi Moore became co-investors and the faces of the chain. At its peak, the company had over 60 restaurants worldwide.



The opening of Planet Hollywood, early 1990s. Joint promotional tours around the world transformed bitter rivals into friends—without any diplomacy.

The promotional tour required joint flights—and the former enemies found themselves on the same plane. Again and again. Schwarzenegger recalled: "We started flying together, promoting Planet Hollywood around the world—and suddenly we became fantastic friends." The 10-year war ended not with diplomatic negotiations, but with joint flights and dinners for two.



The first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City on October 22, 1991. In 1999, the company filed for bankruptcy. Schwarzenegger left the business in 2000. Stallone remained a shareholder.

Schwarzenegger left the business in January 2000. Stallone remained a shareholder—and remains so to this day.

"The Expendables" and the long-awaited shared shot

For almost 30 years, the two most famous action stars of the era never actually appeared together. Stallone himself took on the task of rectifying this: he conceived and directed The Expendables (2010), a nostalgic film for the action stars of the 1980s. Schwarzenegger appeared in a cameo role for free. Their first picture together grossed $274 million worldwide.



The Expendables (2010). The first picture of Stallone and Schwarzenegger together in a live-action film – almost 30 years after the vase of tulips.

Schwarzenegger's role was expanded in the 2012 sequel. Then came Escape Plan (2013), the first film where the two were evenly matched: $137 million at the box office with mixed reviews. Critics debated, but audiences bought tickets.



Escape Plan (2013): The only film where Stallone and Schwarzenegger were fully fledged co-stars, rather than simply sharing screen space.

2023: A Priceless Recognition

In June 2023, the three-part documentary series "Arnold" was released on Netflix. Among the interviewees was Stallone, the man who threw flowers at Schwarzenegger in 1977. Now he sat in front of the camera and said something completely unexpected.



Netflix series "Arnold," 2023: Stallone appeared as a guest – and called his rival "superior."

"In the 1980s, the image of the action hero hadn't yet been established," Stallone said. "Before then, action movies were car chases, like in 'Bullitt' or 'The French Connection.' Then along came this guy from Austria who didn't need much introduction. He was superior. He had everything: the body, the strength. That was his character." Schwarzenegger responded symmetrically: "Without Stallone, I might not have been so motivated in the 1980s. He was the one who pushed me to work even harder."



TMZ Presents: Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons, April 2024. Two former enemies examine their war—and laugh about it.

In November of that year, Stallone released his own documentary, Sly. Schwarzenegger made a cameo appearance. The circle was complete—or, more accurately, broken.

Rocky and Rambo after 70: Not an ending, but a continuation

For a man who was repeatedly turned down for roles in the 1970s, Stallone has an impressive resume. Rocky (1976) earned him an Oscar as a producer and screenwriter. Rambo: First Blood (1982) spawned a five-film franchise. In 2015, he received a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for his role in Creed—almost 40 years after the first Rocky.



"Creed," 2015: Stallone's portrayal of an aging Rocky Balboa earned him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination, 39 years after the original "Rocky."

In 2022, Stallone debuted in the Paramount+ series "Tulsa King" and starred in Marvel. The documentary "Sly" was released in 2023. The man studios refused to take seriously continues to work—and, it seems, has no plans to stop.



Stallone and Schwarzenegger today: two men who "couldn't stand each other in the same galaxy" now call themselves inseparable friends.

The war with Schwarzenegger lasted 10 years. Their friendship has lasted for over 30 years. Perhaps it was this rival who turned out to be the best thing that happened to Stallone in his career.

What do you think: was Stallone sincere when he called Schwarzenegger "superior"—or was it the latest subtle move in their endless game?