Actor Sylvester Stallone has sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 
Inc. and a production company, claiming they stymied his efforts to make a
sequel and Broadway musical based on the Rocky film franchise.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeks
unspecified damages against the studio and the production company. It also
seeks an order allowing Stallone to proceed with a Rocky VI film.

"He looks at litigation as the very of very last resorts," said Stallone's
attorney, Gerald Margolis.

"It means he's extremely sad, disappointed and put out by all of this."

MGM spokeswoman Janet Janjigian said the lawsuit is without merit and
declined to comment further.

The lawsuit also names as a defendant the former firm of Chartoff-Winkler
Productions. A call seeking comment from the company's successor, Chartoff
Productions, was not immediately returned.

Stallone alleges the defendants initially wanted to be involved in the
development of a Rocky musical co-written by the actor. But MGM proposed
keeping an unacceptable share of the potential profits. After Stallone
balked, the studio allegedly said it would develop musicals based on the
Rocky movies.

Stallone said he reached a tentative deal with MGM to make the Rocky VI
movie but the project was nixed after a producer allegedly demanded his son
direct the film.

Stallone also accused both defendants of pulling out of the musical and
movie after learning he intended to co-produce and star in a boxing
reality-TV show called "The Contender".

The series is scheduled to air in January, featuring amateur boxers as they
advance from training camp through challenges in the ring. The winner will
receive $1 million and a chance to become a professional prize fighter.

The suit claimed MGM retaliated by creating its own reality show called "The
Real Rocky" with a similar plot. MGM, however, has said its show had been in
the works for about a year.