Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Sylvester Stallone was one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, squaring off with Arnold Schwarzenegger in a high-profile rivalry for box-office dominance. But just like any actor with a long career, Stallone has films in his résumé that he’d rather forget.
Among them is one that the “Rocky” and “Rambo” star himself has bluntly called “foolish”: “Over the Top.”
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“It caught me at a weak moment”
Directed by Menahem Golan and released in 1987, “Over the Top” wasn’t just another paycheck for Stallone. He co-wrote the script and spent years developing the project before it ever hit theaters. Unfortunately, the final product fell flat.
“It wasn’t a very good experience,” Stallone admitted in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It was something I shouldn’t have done. It caught me at a weak moment. There was a lot of money involved. And at the time I thought I could make anything work. It was just foolish.”
A costly box-office flop
The movie bombed at the U.S. box office, earning just over $16 million against a $25 million budget. Of that, nearly half, $12 million, went directly to Stallone’s paycheck, an eye-popping salary in the mid-80s.
Trying to bounce back, Stallone quickly pivoted to “Rambo III,” aiming to reclaim his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.
What ‘Over the Top’ was about
The movie’s official synopsis described it this way:“A championship title, a huge cash prize, and the love of his son, the greatest prize of all, are on the line when Hawk (Stallone) faces his toughest opponent for everything he’s ever wanted.”
While panned at the time, “Over the Top” has since gained a cult following for its over-the-top (literally) premise of competitive arm wrestling mixed with family drama.
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