The incredible success of "Rambo II" and "Rocky IV" set new box office records for Stallone that were to become a noose around his neck. Sly was a founding member of the '$100m club' whereby if a film starring him didn't break the $100m barrier in the US it was deemed a flop.

With the "Rocky IV" US gross of $125.4m and "Rambo: First Blood Part 2" US gross of $150.4, Stallone was in a commanding position to make whatever he liked. Unfortunately for him he teamed up with Cannon Films producer Menahem Golan to make the arm-wrestling themed "Over the Top". It bombed hideously with a US gross of $16m.

Stallone chose to return to the Rambo franchise to make part III but was in for a nasty shock. No instalment of Rocky or Rambo had failed him to date. But with a budget of $63m and a US box office of $53m something had gone wrong.

Tastes were beginning to change and the public was tiring of Stallone's characters. He followed-up with the entertaining "Tango & Cash" ($63m US) and "Lock Up" ($22m) but these were not considered hits. So he returned to his roots to make "Rocky V". The film picked up on all the old themes but the US box office of $41m was a bitter disappointment.

So why does the funding keep coming in for Stallone films? Simple - while he may not be the force he once was in the US, he still pulls in the profits internationally. Rumours of "Rocky VI" persist and while it sounds crazy it might provide a better ending than the awful part V.

For all the latest news on "Rocky VI" check out the American fan-based website www.stallonezone.com