Dolph Lundgren Nearly Punched Sylvester Stallone on ‘Expendables’ Set Over Tense Direction: ‘I’m Gonna Knock Him Out and F— This Movie’

Dolph Lundgren revealed onIn Depth With Graham Bensingerthat he nearly punched Sylvester Stallone during the making of their 2010 ensemble action movie The Expendables. Stallone helmed the film himself, marking the second time he directed Lundgren in a movie after 1985s Rocky IV.

We had some good times and bad times, kinda like family to some degree, Lundgren said about his long-standing working relationship with Stallone. He was very harsh on me in a scene in The Expendables where he kinda yelled at me in front of the whole crew and had me do about 20 takes on a scene. It was like, My grandmother could do it better than that. What the fuck, what are you doing? You know, basically in front of everybody. And there was press there that day too, international press.

Lundgren continued, We took a lunch break and I remember I was kind of in tears. I was really upset. I called my wife that time and I basically just told her, If he says one more word, Im gonna knock him out and fuck this movie, Im outta here. Im just gonna punch him out and fucking leave. And I think when I walked on the set, people felt it wasnt such a good vibration. And then I had a tap on the back and it was Sly. And he was like, Uh, Im sorry about that. Lets just do another take and lets just keep moving on. And weve had a few run-ins over the years, but what can I say, hes a crazy Italian. I think he knows that Ive always respected him and loved him, and I think thats why were still friends.

Lundgren and Stallone remain close, with Lundgren even appearing in Stallones new Paramount+ reality series The Family Stallone. Both actors reprised their Rocky roles in 2018s Creed II. MGM announced last year it was developing a new Rocky spinoff movie centered on the Drago family. Lundgren starred as Rockys Russian rival Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, while Florian Munteanu debuted as Ivans son in Creed II. Robert Lawtonwas hired to pen the script. Stallonespoke out publicly against the spinoffand said he was never told about its development.

By the way, I have nothing but respect for Dolph but I wish HE had told me what was going on behind my back, Stallone said at the time, hinting at tension between the actors. Keep your REAL friends close.

Lundgren then got involved bytelling Rocky fans to relax. Just to set the record straight regarding a possible Drago spinoff. Theres no approved script, no deals in place, no director and I was personally under the impression that my friend Sly Stallone was involved as a producer or even as an actor, Lundgren wrote. There was a press leak last week which was unfortunate. In touch with Mr. Balboa just so all the fans can relax There ya go.

Stallone and Lundgren have since squashed their beef. The actors went on to headline two Expendables sequels together, 2012s The Expendables 2 and 2014s The Expendables 3, and theyve got The Expendables 4 opening in theaters on Sept. 22 from Lionsgate.