Sylvester Stallone Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Sylvester Stallone’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $400 million, Sylvester Stallone stands as a prominent American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. Renowned as one of the most iconic action stars, Stallone remains the only actor in the history of American cinema to feature in box office #1 films over six consecutive decades.

His rise to stardom began with “Rocky,” propelling him to become one of the highest-paid action stars during the 1980s and 1990s. Stallone has been involved in writing and producing various highly successful franchises such as “Rocky,” “Rambo,” and “The Expendables.” As of now, Stallone’s films have collectively grossed over $4 billion globally. Unlike many Hollywood stars, he has taken an active role by writing, producing, and/or directing several of his key films.

Notable films that contributed significantly to Stallone’s box office earnings include “Rocky IV” (1985) and “Rambo: First Blood Part II” (1985), both with earnings of $300 million, and “Creed” (2015), which made $173 million. To date, his cinematic ventures have amassed more than $4.5 billion worldwide, placing him among the top-grossing actors ever, alongside other big names such as Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and Robert Downey Jr. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger, another legendary action star, has a total earnings of about $4.4 billion, which falls slightly short of Stallone’s remarkable figure.

Salary Highlights

From the 1970s up until 2012, Sylvester Stallone earned $300 million solely in base film salaries from just a selection of films, which does not cover every movie he made during that timeframe or the subsequent decade. When adjusted for inflation, these earnings are approximately equivalent to $500 million today.

Stallone wrote the script for “Rocky” in a mere three days, attracting interest from various studios. Although United Artists showed the most interest, they sought to cast Robert Redford or James Caan in the lead role. Stallone persistently urged producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff to let him take the leading role, ultimately agreeing to a reduced salary of $23,000, roughly $110,000 today. The film went on to earn $225 million against a budget of just $1 million.

• Sylvester received a paycheck of $75,000 for “Rocky II.”
• For “Rocky III,” his base salary increased to $120,000.
• He earned $15 million for “Rocky V.”
• For both “Creed” and “Creed II,” he was compensated with base salaries of $10 million each.

In 1982, he was paid $3.5 million for “First Blood.” The next year, his earnings rose to $10 million, equivalent to $25 million today, which also marked his first Producer credit for “Staying Alive.”

He secured $4 million and a second Producer credit for “Rhinestone” in 1984. The following year he earned another $12 million along with another Producer credit for “Rocky IV.” Additionally, he made $12 million for “Over the Top” and $16 million for “Rambo III.”

For the following films, Stallone earned $15 million or $16 million each:

• “Lock Up”
• “Tango & Cash”
• “Rocky V”
• “Oscar”
• “Demolition Man”
• “Judge Dredd”
• “Assassins”
• “The Specialist”
• “The Expendables”
• “The Expendables II”

Stallone earned $17.5 million for “Daylight,” $20 million for “Driven,” and another $20 million for “Eye See You.”

Early Life

Born on July 6, 1946, in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone is the first son of Francesco “Frank” Stallone Sr., who was a hairdresser, and Jackie Stallone, an astrologer and dancer. He has a younger sibling, Frank Stallone, who works as an actor and musician. Due to complications during childbirth, the lower left side of Sylvester’s face was paralyzed, resulting in his distinctive “snarling” expression and slightly slurred speech.

Due to the tumultuous relationship between his parents, Stallone spent part of his childhood in foster care, and they eventually divorced. After the divorce, he lived with his father for a time in Maryland.

Stallone pursued drama studies at the American College in Switzerland, eventually transferring to the University of Miami. He left his studies before finishing his degree, choosing to relocate to New York City to chase his acting dreams.

Career

Stallone’s first major role was in “The Party at Kitty and Stud’s,” a softcore adult film he took out of desperation after facing eviction from his living space. He earned $200 for working two days on the project.

In the early stages of his career, he appeared in minor roles, including an uncredited appearance in Woody Allen’s 1971 film “Bananas.” His involvement in a movie titled “Rebel” in 1973 marked an early step in his career, and in 1974, he received some early critical acclaim for his part in “The Lords of Flatbush.”

In the mid-1970s, Stallone made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles. While there, he dedicated his spare time to screenwriting. Observing a fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner sparked the idea for a screenplay featuring a struggling underdog aspiring to be a professional boxer. Stallone insisted on incorporating himself as the lead actor, refusing to sell the script until he secured that role. He eventually found producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff who were on board with his vision for Rocky Balboa. The character’s name, “Balboa,” was inspired by the close proximity of his Los Angeles apartment to Balboa Avenue.

The release of “Rocky” in 1976 marked a significant milestone. Despite initial mixed test screenings, the film swiftly became a global phenomenon, propelling Stallone into instant A-list stardom and international recognition. This critical and box office success led to a tremendous $117 million earnings, all from a modest budget of

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With a budget of $1 million, the film garnered ten Academy Award nominations. Competing for Best Picture alongside other now-classic films like “All the President’s Men,” “Network,” and “Taxi Driver,” “Rocky” astonishingly emerged victorious. It also secured awards for Best Directing and Best Film Editing. The year 1979 saw the release of “Rocky II,” followed by two additional sequels in the ’80s, during which Stallone continued to achieve success at the box office.

In 1982, Sylvester made a triumphant return with his portrayal of John Rambo in the action-packed movie “Rambo: First Blood,” which turned out to be both a critical and box office hit. Following the first installment, three sequels were produced. For both his roles as Rocky and Rambo, Stallone committed to an intense training regimen, which included two workouts daily, six days a week, along with additional evening exercises. He lowered his body fat percentage to an unprecedented 2.8% for the third “Rocky” film.

Beginning in 1987, Stallone’s popularity started to wane with the release of “Over the Top,” a film that poorly performed at the box office and garnered negative reviews from critics. In the ’90s, he launched “Rocky V,” which also failed to resonate with audiences and critics alike. His ventures into comedy, particularly with early-nineties films “Oscar” and “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot,” ended in critical and commercial turmoil. However, he experienced a brief resurgence with “Cliffhanger” in 1993, which grossed $170 million, as well as in 1996 with “Daylight,” though by the early 2000s, he found himself involved in a series of box office flops and critical disappointments.

After a three-year break, Stallone made a comeback in 2006 with the sixth installment of the “Rocky” series. He not only wrote and directed but also starred in the critically acclaimed “Rocky Balboa,” which had a budget of $24 million and earned $155.7 million worldwide. Additionally, he reprised his Rambo role in the fourth edition of that series, “Rambo.” In 2010, he wrote, directed, and starred in the box office hit “The Expendables,” which debuted at #1 during its opening weekend. A sequel followed in 2012, receiving similarly favorable reviews and also achieving a #1 position at the box office.

In 2015, Stallone expanded the “Rocky” franchise with a spin-off titled “Creed,” directed by Ryan Coogler. The film centered on Adonis Creed, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, the offspring of Rocky’s rival, Apollo Creed. Stallone garnered significant acclaim and his third Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for this role. The release of “Creed II” in 2018 was met with positive reviews and raked in $35.3 million during its opening weekend. The fifth film in the Rambo series premiered on September 20, 2019, accumulating a total of $91 million worldwide.

Stallone has also taken on the roles of Stakar Ogord in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films and Dwight “The General” Manfredi in the Paramount+ series “Tulsa King.” In 2023, Sylvester, along with his wife and their three daughters, appeared in the reality show “The Family Stallone,” which was quickly renewed for a second season.

Other Ventures

In March 2018, Sylvester co-founded Balboa Productions, a film production studio, alongside Braden Aftergood. The studio boasts a broad range of productions, including “Creed II,” “Rambo V,” and “Expend4bles.” Currently, the studio is in the process of developing a film that recounts the story of Jack “Galveston Giant” Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion.

Stallone has also contributed vocally to various film soundtracks. He performed the iconic theme “Gonna Fly Now” for the first Rocky movie and “Take Me Back” for Rocky IV. Additionally, he collaborated with Dolly Parton on duets for their 1984 film “Rhinestone.” Also, Stallone operates as a boxing promoter through his company, Tiger Eye Productions.

Personal Life

In 1974, Sylvester entered into marriage with Sasha Czack, with whom he had two sons: Sage Moonblood, who tragically passed away from heart disease at the age of 36, and Seargeoh. The couple divorced in 1985. Stallone was also married to Brigitte Nielson from 1985 to 1987.

In 1997, Sylvester tied the knot with Jennifer Flavin. They are…

would eventually have three daughters: Sophie, Sistine, and Scarlet. On August 24, 2022, news broke that Jennifer had filed for divorce from Sylvester. The divorce proceedings took place in Palm Beach County, Florida, but the couple ultimately reconciled.

Real Estate

Sylvester sold a property in Coconut Grove, Florida, in 1999 for $16 million.

For several decades, Sylvester’s main residence has been a luxurious mansion situated in Beverly Park, an exclusive gated community in Beverly Hills. This estate covers 3.5 acres and boasts a home measuring 20,000 square feet. His neighbors include celebrities like Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, and Denzel Washington. Recent sales of similar properties have ranged from $40 to $70 million. Reports in January 2021 indicated that Sylvester was listing this home for an astonishing $130 million; however, by August of the same year, he had reduced the asking price to $85 million.

In December 2021, Sylvester accepted an offer of $58 million, with the buyer being Adele, marking the highest price ever paid for a home in Beverly Park.

Take a look at a video tour:

In January 2010, Sylvester and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, acquired a vacation home in La Quinta, California, for $4.5 million. They tried to sell this house multiple times, starting in 2014, and by 2016 had lowered its price to $3.625 million, yet no buyers came forward. The home eventually sold in May 2020 for $3.1 million.

In December 2020, Sylvester purchased a 1.5-acre property with a 13,000 square-foot mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, for $35.4 million. The previous owners made nearly $10 million in profit, as they had bought it for $26 million in 2018.

In February 2022, Sylvester bought a 2.26-acre estate in Hidden Hills, California, for $18.2 million. Sadly, this property attracted negative attention in August 2022 when it was disclosed that it was consuming an excessive amount of water. In May and June of 2022, the estate exceeded its monthly water allowance by 195,000 and 230,000 gallons, respectively. The Stallones argued that the estate had over 500 mature trees requiring constant care to avoid becoming a fire hazard. If their usage exceeded 150% of the allocation over four months, the local water authority had the right to impose restrictions on their water supply.

Here’s a video tour from when it was on the market in early 2022:

In December 2022, just under a year after acquiring the property for $18.2 million, Sylvester listed it for $22.5 million. In October 2023, he sold the home to musician John Fogerty for $17 million, resulting in a $1.2 million loss compared to the initial purchase price in February 2022.