Why Sylvester Stallone Cut Carl Weathers From Rocky Balboa (But Regrets Killing Creed)

"Rocky" is the kind of powerhouse franchise that's still able to remain relevant over four decades after the release of its first entry. Not only did it make a star out of Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote the film, but it would also go a long way toward making other actors like Talia Shire and the late Carl Weathers into household names.

However, despite writing all six "Rocky" movies and being credited with characters in the "Creed" films, Stallone isn't necessarily happy with how he ended Apollo Creed's (Weathers) story. In "Rocky IV," Creed is killed during a boxing match with Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). While his death made for one of the most dramatic and heartbreaking scenes of the entire franchise, Stallone would later say that he regrets the decision to kill off the character. 

"If I had to do it over again I never would have killed Apollo. Absolutely not. It was foolish. I thought I needed that kind of springboard to protect the drama on this really great, power velocity forward," Stallone said in the documentary "The Making of Rocky vs. Drago." In fact, Stallone even wanted to bring Creed back for a montage in 2006's "Rocky Balboa" until money became an issue.

"Actually, Mr. T and Ivan Drago are in a quick montage before the main event in Rocky Balboa. It's only for a second or two, but I appreciate their agreeing to participate," Stallone said in a 2006 interview with Ain't It Cool News. "Apollo Creed is not in Rocky Balboa because he wanted many thousands of dollars for a two second piece of he and Rocky boxing. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford it. Whatever happened to loyalty? Apollo Greed?" 

Despite having this negative experience with Carl Weathers with regard to "Rocky Balboa," Sylvester Stallone does think that there could have been a better route to go with in regards to Apollo Creed's story. He explained in "The Making of Rocky vs. Drago" that he could have seen Creed filling the hole left by another character's death in the franchise.

"Him in a wheelchair, he would've assumed the role of Mickey," Stallone explained about an alternate way the story could have unfolded. "And now, his physicality has been diminished; we would've seen a different side of Apollo. He could've opened up all these other things that we didn't even know about ... He would've been kind of a father figure, mentor, brother." 

It also appears that despite whatever hiccup occurred with Weathers during "Rocky Balboa," Stallone still deeply appreciated what the actor brought to the franchise. During a 2016 interview with Deadline, he said, "I was so blessed the day I met Carl, who is not just a fantastic actor, but a world class athlete who did things that normal actors and human beings can't do. The fact that this is a movie called Creed, and it's 40 years after Rocky, well it shows the impact that Carl Weathers had with Apollo Creed."

Though his recent death means that the actor won't be able to return to the franchise, Weathers' legacy speaks for itself.