who did the studio want to play rocky
Rocky United Artists liked Stallone's script, and viewed it as a possible mode of transportation for a well-established star such as Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, or James Caan.[10] Stallone insisted upon portraying the title character himself, to the point of issuing an ultimatum. Stallone later said that he would never have forgiven himself, had the film become a success with somebody else in the lead. He also knew that producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff's contract with the studio enabled them to "greenlight" a project if the budget was kept low enough. The producers also collateralized any possible losses with their big-budget entry, New York, New York (whose eventual losses were covered by Rocky's success).[11][12] The film's production budget ended up being $1,075,000, with a further $100,000 spent on producers' fees and $4.2 million on advertising costs.[13]