Rocky: Dolph Lundgren Hints A Drago Spinoff Is In Development

Dolph Lundgren has hinted that a Rocky spinoff, focused on the iconic villain Ivan Drago, is in development. The 64 year old Swedish action-star first played the role of Drago; the monstrous USSR-backed boxer, as he battled Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa in 1985’s Rocky IV. In the classic sequel, Drago’s supreme strength killed off Rocky’s friend Apollo Creed in the ring, leading to a grudge-filled vengeance match. The robot-like fighter, while being a slightly cliched 1980s Soviet-era bad-guy, became a cult-classic movie villain.

Lundgren’s Drago made a much-awaited return in 2018’s Creed II. In the film, Adonis Creed (Michael Jordan) found himself facing off against the son of his father’s killer; Viktor Drago (played by Florian Munteanu). With Stallone’s Balboa tutoring the young Creed, Ivan mirrored his former opponent as Viktor’s coach. Lundgren’s infamous character made a comeback 30 years in the making, and even came face to face with Rocky once again.

Now, speaking to THR, Lundgren has revealed there’s been talk of giving the Dragos their own Creed-esque spinoff. While discussing a deleted fight scene from Creed II that would’ve seen Rocky and Drago punching it out yet again, the actor opens up about the movie villain and his future. Despite the missed opportunity for more Drago content in what the actor called “a fan moment”, Lundgren gave Rocky-lovers some new hope, revealing “I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM”. Though he didn’t confirm any more details about the studio’s plans for the character, he did tease “you may get more of that”. Read the actor’s full quote below:

“I thought it was a good moment. It was also a fan moment. It was a quick little fight, and I thought it worked, […] But the director [Caple] and MGM felt that it was extraneous and that it didn’t add anything. 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.”

Fans of Rocky have been given extra Ivan Drago content recently via the Rocky IV Director’s Cut, which star Sylvester Stallone released this year. The re-edited original vision for the film features some more context for the villain, giving him more characterization than before. Following in Stallone’s footsteps, Creed star Michael B. Jordan is set to make his directorial debut to helm Creed III, which will continue the Rocky spinoff series.

With Creed reinvigorating the dormant boxing series, there is a good chance we could get even more Rocky-verse spinoffs, and Drago would be the ideal choice. An under-developed villain with a lot of potential for humanization, Lundgren has recently discussed his intentions behind the character; calling him more of a “Frankenstein’s monster” personality; manipulated by the Russian state that created him. Whether the Drago movie goes ahead will remain to be seen, but the renewed love for the stoic Soviet sportsman has reinvigorated his importance in the Rocky universe.

Source: THR

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