Sylvester Stallone says 'Rocky' probably wouldn't get made today

In today's ever-evolving media landscape, legendary actor Sylvester Stallone doesn't think a movie like "Rocky" — which was a big risk for the studio as it bet on a relatively unknown Stallone when it was made 50 years ago — would get greenlighted.

"People are looking for identifiable stories, simple stories. Where they're finding them now is on streaming, on 'Dateline,' on '20/20' — you know, real human interaction. But I don't think we're going to ever see them again in abundance, like 'Dog Day Afternoon' or Pacino kind of films, or 'Mean Streets,' or great films like 'The Lion in Winter' or 'Beckett.' It's sad, but it's true," Stallone said in a new episode of the Power Players with Brian Sozzi podcast (video above; listen in below).

"And I don't think the audience wants it either, because, you know, this generation doesn't have that same education that I had," he continued. "You know, the way schooling is, they don't teach the classics. They don't take poetry. You don't teach 'The Raven.' So it would be quite alien to them. I don't even know what they teach, but the one thing they do rely upon is complete and utter fantasy, escapism, which every young man, you know, they love that."

Stallone has earned his spot among Hollywood legends through blood, sweat, and tears.

With that success — ranging from big-screen films "Rocky" and "Rambo" to the series "Tulsa King," which returns for its latest season on Friday on streaming platform Paramount+ — has come an equally impressive business backdrop despite not owning the rights to "Rocky."

Recognizing the power of controlling his own IP, Stallone expanded his earnings beyond simple acting fees — which routinely topped $15 million to $20 million per project — by taking on writer, director, and executive producer roles across his iconic "Rocky," "Rambo," and "The Expendables" franchises.

In 2018, Stallone formed his own media operations, founding Balboa Productions, a film and television outfit that has successfully commercialized projects like "Tulsa King" and "Samaritan."

Stallone, 80, thinks Dwight Manfredi — his lead character on "Tulsa King" — will likely be the final big role of his iconic career.

"I think Dwight will take me into the sunset because that character is so ingrained in me," Stallone said.

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Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor, host of the Sozzi Unleashed morning show and the Power Players with Brian Sozzi podcast, and a member of Yahoo Finance's editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi , Instagram , and LinkedIn . Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com.