Sylvester Stallone says the most famous moment from Rocky Balboa—the run up the Philadelphia steps—was improvised and filmed before police could intervene. In a discussion on Tuesday’s episode of The Tonight Show, the 79-year-old actor explained that the crew had little money and no license to shoot on the steps when they arrived in Philadelphia in 1976. "When I got to Philadelphia and did the movie 'Rocky,' I wasn’t even thinking about the steps. We didn’t have any money to shoot there. We didn’t have the license," Stallone said during the interview.
The actor recalled that he simply jumped out of a car to grab a quick shot of the climb up the famous stairs, and the crew rolled several takes to get it right. The improvisation extended to a dog scene that never should have been part of the plan. "The first take, I said, "Let me carry my dog up the steps." My dog is a buffalo; it’s a 130 lb. bull mastiff. I get halfway up, my knees buckle," he said, describing the moment that became a cultural touchstone. "We’re like, 'Dog, out. Back in the car, pal.'"
The scene’s spontaneous genesis, Stallone suggested, resonates with a broader message about overcoming obstacles. Prodded by the moment’s popularity, he reflected that the steps could symbolize life’s accumulative challenges, not just a single film moment. "Anyway, we did it and it became a very famous scene, but I thought it’s also a great name for a biography about the steps you make in your life to arrive. Because guys, trust me, I had zero going… the thing is, you’ve got to get to a point like, ‘Am I going to win or is life going to win?’" he said, adding that it’s a fight to keep moving forward: "It’s a battle. It’s a punch-out… you just got to keep punching."
Fans will get a deeper look behind the scenes in Stallone’s memoir, The Steps, which is scheduled to be published in May 2026. The book promises to expand on the real-life challenges that shaped the Rocky saga, from the street-level improvisations to the durable studio negotiations that have defined the franchise for decades.
The conversation also touched on a long-running segment of Stallone’s career: the rights to Rocky and Creed. In 2022, he acknowledged publicly that he does not own the rights to the film franchise, which includes Rocky II, Rocky IV, Rocky V, Rocky Balboa, and the Creed spin-offs, as well as Creed III. During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Pop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw, Stallone said there would be no peace with Irwin Winkler—the 94-year-old producer who holds the rights to both the Rocky and Creed properties—and reiterated his frustration with the situation. "You can’t make peace with someone who’s been so, so nefarious in my, in my opinion," he told the host. The discussion highlighted a broader reminder that, in Hollywood, ownership of a legacy can outlive the creator. Universal Pictures now owns the Jaws rights, a point Stallone contrasted when discussing rights across franchises. The Rocky franchise, by contrast, has amassed more than $1.7 billion in global box office across its films and spin-offs.
In interviews and at public appearances, Stallone has noted that neither he nor his family will likely own the Rocky rights, pointing to the realities of Hollywood financing and distribution. The star emphasized that, despite the complications, the franchise remains a collaborative creation with multiple stakeholders, and the success of Rocky and Creed has endured across generations of fans.
Stallone has also reflected on the financial arc of the original film, noting he was compensated modestly for his work on the first Rocky feature. He was paid $75,000 for his original screenplay and acting fees, plus 10 net points, which ultimately earned him at least $2.5 million from the film’s distribution. The original Rocky film went on to gross about $225 million globally, a figure that underscored the unpredictable but dramatic upside of a low-budget production that found an audience around the world. The creators’ willingness to take calculated risks helped them secure financing, sometimes putting personal assets on the line to bring the story to the screen. The producer’s side of the story has been recounted by Irwin Winkler in past interviews, detailing how the team mortgaged their homes to secure the money needed to finish the film on time.
Looking ahead, the possibility of a fourth Creed installment remains a topic of discussion, even as Stallone has publicly stated he would consider reprising his role under certain conditions. While Winkler and his son, David, were at one point said to be involved in future Rocky or Creed projects, Winkler later announced that a fourth film is in development. Stallone did not offer a firm commitment on Creed IV, but indicated that his participation could hinge on the creative and financial arrangement, noting his longstanding ties to the character and the world he helped create.
As Stallone continues to shepherd his legacy—from acting to producing, to the writing that launched the franchise—The Steps sets the stage for a detailed, personal account of the life-and-death decisions behind a character who endured beyond a single film. The memoir will likely explore the blend of luck, calculated risk, and stubborn perseverance that turned a low-budget surprise into a global cultural touchstone. While the future of Creed and the Rocky universe remains in flux, the stairs on the steps remain a symbol of the fight Stallone says defined not only a character, but a career dedicated to punching through barriers.