How Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s Rivalry Began—and Ended

Speaking on “The Rest Is Entertainment,” Stallone described their early relationship as “antagonistic.” He said Schwarzenegger gave him the “stink eye” as “Rocky” lost in other categories. “I made like I was celebrating, like, ‘yay’,” Stallone recalled. “And the gauntlet was thrown, and it was on.”

The competition, Stallone said, pushed him to take risks. Both men wanted to become action cinema’s biggest star, and each tried to top the other with bigger weapons, louder guns, higher body counts and more ambitious locations. Stallone called the contest “very contentious,” but said he enjoyed it: “The madder I made him, the madder he made me.” Their films included Stallone’s “Rocky” sequels and “Cobra,” and Schwarzenegger’s “The Terminator,” “Commando” and “Total Recall.”

Schwarzenegger later recalled a more calculated bit of one-upmanship. In a 2024 interview with TMZ, he said he and Stallone were both considered for the 1992 comedy “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.” Expecting it to fare poorly, Schwarzenegger arranged for his agent to make it seem that he wanted the role, knowing Stallone would not want his rival to get it. Stallone took the part. The film flopped with critics and at the box office, and received three Razzie Awards, including Worst Actor for Stallone.

The rivalry also extended to pay. On the “2 Bears, 1 Cave” podcast in December 2024, Schwarzenegger called their competition “stupid” and said he kept track of their salaries. He recalled earning $1 million for “Conan the Destroyer” in 1984, then learning Stallone had secured a $5 million deal for a film. Schwarzenegger said he kept working to catch up, eventually earning $30 million for 1997’s “Batman & Robin.”

Their feud faded around 2003, when Schwarzenegger ran for California governor and won. Stallone said they later met at the same cigar place and agreed they were no longer competing. They have since appeared together in three “The Expendables” films and “Escape Plan,” and shared “many, many, many” cigars, Stallone said.