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Burt Young will be greatly missed byRockyfans all over the world. Young played into the nuances of the complex character of Paulie Pennino in Sylvester Stallone’sRocky, even earning an Oscar nomination for the role.
However,Rocky V, one of the weakest entries in the franchise, did the character dirty. Young was so upset with the way things turned out in the film, that he didn’t speak with Stallone for a long time.
Sylvester Stallone’s fifth installment in theRockyseries was anything but smooth throughout the production. The creative differences over Stallone’s screenplay negatively impacted the outcome of the movie. Stallone himself later admitted that he had lost focus, and the film defeated the purpose of all the other Rocky films.
Also Read:After The Expendables 4 Exit, Sylvester Stallone Sells 2.2 Acre Los Angeles Ranch for a Devastating Loss
Burt Young Was Disappointed With Sylvester Stallone’sRocky VScript
Fans unanimously agree thatRocky Vstands as one of the worst films in the otherwise legendary franchise. Things went south right from the beginning of the film when there were creative differences over the dark and somber tone thatSylvester Stalloneadopted for the script, which he intended to be the franchise’s last movie. The film’s treatment of Rocky Balboa’s character was heavily criticized, as it seemed to undo his character growth.
Burt Young’s character Paulie Pennino, who had a remarkable character development in the four previous films, became the reason for Rocky’s financial downfall in the film. Many fans, including Young himself, felt that the character had been poorly served by the script.
Young, in particular, was against Paulie being responsible for Rocky’s troubles, and he even talked to Stallone about it. However, unlike in previous films where he had heeded Young’s advice, this time theDemolition Manactor rejected it.
Young shared with the fan page, Total Rocky, that he was upset withThe Expendablesactor at the time and did not speak with him for quite some time. His disappointment was completely justified after the film failed to impress the audience. It took a while for the two of them to reconcile. Young shared withTotal Rocky:
“So, for a short while we didn’t talk. But now he has this reality fight show [Mark Burnett’s The Contender], so they asked me if I would show up, you know? And I was pleased to hug him and forget the time lost.”
Given that Young was among the few who trusted Stallone’s script initially forRocky, theTulsa Kingactor should have listened to the late actor. However, the two resolved their differences as Young returned to reprise his role as Paulie one last time in the 2006 film,Rocky Balboa.
Also Read:“He was ugly”: Sylvester Stallone Felt Sorry for the Comic Book Character That Reportedly Earned Him a $3 Million Paycheck
Sylvester Stallone Admitted He Made A Mistake WithRocky V
Sylvester Stallone later admitted thatRocky Vfell short of the franchise’s standards. Although he had intended to make it the last, the movie did not do justice to the franchise and Stallone felt compelled to make one more movie.
However, this realization took time, with the sixth installment being released in 2006, almost 16 years after the previous film. About his failed fifth movie and why he made a sixth film, theSamaritanactor shared withMovieHole:
“Okay, uh, I have to admit, that I had this real beast in me, it’s been gnawing at me for ten, twelve years, how badly Rocky [V] fared, and I take all the blame for that, I think it was a reflection of my lack of focus at the time, and it just was translated on to film, it’s really interesting, it’s almost a CAT scan of where you are. And it really defeated all the other Rocky’s, and it bothered me, because the people that had been so loyal to it, so that beast was finally eliminated with this film.”
However, Stallone’s stint as Rocky did not end withRocky Balboa. Stallone returned for theRockyspin-off,Creed, but this time without Young. Paulie was depicted as having passed away in the film. A seventh mainline Rocky film is currently in development, and Stallone will sure miss Young by his side for the movie.
Also Read:“I and the world will miss you”: Sylvester Stallone Joins Millions of Rocky Fans to Mourn the Saddening Loss of His Co-star
Rocky Vand other films in the franchise are now available for streaming on MGM+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
