The original Rocky statue will stay outside the Philadelphia Art Museum — thanks to an apparent change of heart from Sylvester Stallone.
The veteran actor, who immortalized the role of the underdog boxer Rocky Balboa in the Oscar-winning 1976 film, decided to show the City of Brother Love some love by allowing them to keep the iconic sculpture.
During a Philadelphia Art Commission meeting on Wednesday, it was revealed that the original statue at the base of the institution’s steps will not be swapped out for a replica version.
Citing the “strong and heartfelt feedback from the public,” city officials said Stallone “has graciously decided that we will no longer move forward with the proposed statue swap.”
Under the city’s preliminary plan approval, the statue will spend a few months of 2026 on display inside the museum before moving to a permanent home at the top of the steps. It’s currently standing 10 feet tall on street level at the side of the museum’s steps.
The 2025 Kennedy Center honoree lent a replica to the city last December for the first-ever “Rocky Fest” after requesting the original statue be returned to his possession.
“He asked for it back, for reasons I don’t know,” the city’s Chief Cultural Officer Valerie Gay told Philadelphia Magazine before Wednesday’s decision as made. “And we are happy to respect his wishes. We are extremely happy to have him swap it out with this other statue.”
Originally commissioned by the New York City native for 1982’s “Rocky III,” the sculpture depicts the beloved character with his gloved-fists raised in the air. In one of the most memorable scenes from the first “Rocky” film, the fighter concludes a training montage to the film’s theme song, “Gonna Fly Now” on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Stallone purchased a replica of the Rocky statue at auction for $403,000 in 2017.
Both the original and the replica were created by sculptor A. Thomas Schomberg. The original solid bronze sculpture was donated to Philadelphia by the “Tulsa King” star in 1983. Since 2006, after relocating to various spots around the city, the Rocky statue has lived outside the art museum.
“Far more than a movie prop, the Rocky statue has grown into a cultural touchstone that reflects the values, grit and spirit that define this city,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a statement that was read at Wednesday’s meeting.
