'Rocky' film franchise to expand with 'Drago' spinoff: report

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Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines 7/27

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"Rocky" fans could be in for a sweet surprise.

According to Variety, a spinoff film "Drago" is in the works with MGM studios. Robert Lawton has reportedly been taken on to write the series. 

The film will feature Ivan Drago, who took on Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) in the 1985 movie "Rocky IV." The character’s son, Viktor Drago, played by Florian Munteanu, appeared in "Creed II" in 2018 to take on Adonis Creed’s son.

Florian Munteanu and Dolph Lundgren portray Viktor and Ivan Drago in the "Creed" films. (Daniel Zuchnik)

"I’m incredibly humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and I’m approaching it as an enormous fan of the ‘Rocky’ franchise, who happens to be a screenwriter," Lawton said in a statement to Variety.

DOLPH LUNDGREN RELIEVED SYLVESTER STALLONE SURVIVED NEAR-FATAL PUNCH ON 'ROCKY IV' SET

In 2021, Dolph Lundgren, who portrayed Drago, spoke with the Hollywood Reporter about a possible movie being in the works. "By the way, I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM. So you may get more of that," Lundgren told the outlet.

Representatives for Munteanu and Lundgren did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

Sylvester Stallone punches Dolph Lundgren in a scene from the film "Rocky IV" in 1985. (Getty)

Earlier this month, "Rocky" star Stallone slammed producers on social media over his lack of ownership rights to the franchise.

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Stallone voiced his anger on Instagram, calling out Irwin Winkler, producer of the "Rocky" franchise and its sequel movies "Creed," for keeping a noteworthy amount of revenue generated from the films from him. The actor has since removed the post.

The Instagram post featured an image of Winkler with the body of a snake and a knife for a tongue, leaving no room for interpretation regarding how Stallone feels about him.

Stallone called out "Rocky" producers on Instagram this month for withholding his ownership rights to the franchise. (Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images)

"A very flattering portrait of the great ‘Rocky’/’Creed’ producer, Irwin Winkler, from one of the country’s greatest," Stallone wrote in the caption. "After Irwin controlling ‘Rocky’ for over 47 years, and now ‘Creed’, I really would like to have at least a little [of] WHAT’S LEFT of my rights back, before passing it on to ONLY YOUR CHILDREN — I believe that would be a fair gesture from this 93-year-old gentleman?"

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Stallone has acknowledged he made a lot of money from the films in the past and says he appreciates it but claims he is missing out on revenue from merchandise sales, which are sold using his likeness.

Stallone has since hung up his boxing gloves, announcing he will no longer appear as Rocky in future films, including "Creed III," which is set to be released Nov. 23, 2022.

Fox News' Lori Bashian contributed to this report.