Sylvester Stallone Shares The Movie That Means The Most To Him
Sylvester Stallone has made a career out of famous heroes and box office hits, but when asked which movie means the most to him, his answer surprises a lot of fans. Instead of picking Rocky or First Blood, Stallone says the film he is truly proud of is Rambo IV.
He shared this during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where he talked openly about why the 2008 movie stands apart for him. Stallone explained that Rambo IV was the most honest action film he has ever made because it refused to soften the reality of war. I got excoriated because the movie’s so violent, he said, adding that the violence was intentional and necessary.
The film focuses on the civil war in Burma, now known as Myanmar, a conflict that has gone on for decades. Stallone said he wanted people to feel uncomfortable while watching it. He explained that civil war is especially brutal because it turns neighbors against each other, and that kind of horror cannot be shown in a clean or heroic way.
Stallone also admitted he never expected the movie to even reach theaters. I was really happy with that film, and I never thought it would ever reach the theatre, he told the outlet. He believed the harsh scenes, including violence against civilians, were important to show what the Karen people were actually facing during the conflict.
The filming itself was intense. Stallone and the crew worked close to real conflict areas, something he later described as terrifying. According to Stallone, he met people who had lost limbs to land mines and witnessed firsthand how dangerous the region was. One of the actors in the film, Maung Maung Khin, was a former freedom fighter who feared arrest for appearing in the movie, yet still chose to take part.
Even now, Stallone shows no signs of slowing down. As of January 2026, he has just wrapped the third season of his Paramount Plus series Tulsa King, which continues to pull strong ratings. The show follows his character, Dwight Manfredi, as he builds power far from New York while dealing with family problems and rival threats.
Later this year, Stallone’s early life will be explored in the biographical film I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly. The movie stars Anthony Ippolito as a young Stallone fighting to get the original Rocky made. Stallone is not acting in the film but has publicly supported the project.
For Stallone, Rambo IV stands as proof that action films can still carry weight and meaning. Whether fans agree or not, he believes the film reflects the reality he wanted to show, even if it made audiences uncomfortable.
