In the 1980s and 90s, one of Hollywood's most notable feuds was between action genre superstars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. With each hoping to best the other with their box office performances with a natural feud that persisted for years, Stallone and Schwarzenegger were at odds until eventually coming together to co-star in The Expendables franchise, among other films. But during the quarrel, Schwarzenegger was able to get one over on Stallone by tricking his rival into accepting a role in a film that was certain to go down in flames.The film in question is 1992's Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, the comedy co-stars Stallone as a tough cop alongside late Golden Girls legend Estelle Getty as his elderly mother who proves to be more formidable with firearms than he could have ever expected. The movie was pummeled with immensely negative reviews upon its release, ranking at 14% rotten at Rotten Tomatoes. Time has not been very kind to the film either, as it's widely considered to be among Stallone's least-revered films.There have been rumors that Stallone quickly accepted the role in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot after hearing that Schwarzenegger was interested. In a new interview with THR, Stallone spoke about how the movie underperformed, suggesting that the concept didn't really work with a sweetheart like Getty in the role of his mother. He also reiterated his belief that he was tricked into taking the role, admitting that he was merely hoping to beat Schwarzenegger to the punch before he gave the movie much thought.
"Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot was supposed to be like Throw Momma From the Train with the mom as this really nasty piece of work. Instead you hire the nicest woman in Hollywood, Estelle Getty, who you wish was your mother. That’s the end of that! Also, I had heard Schwarzenegger was going to do that movie and I said, 'I’m going to beat him to it.' I think he set me up."
Arnold Indeed Tricked Sly, But the Rivalry Has Since Ended
Schwarzenegger responded to Stallone's claim in the THR interview. The Terminator actor comes clean and confirms that he had in fact faked having an interest in the film as a way of setting up Stallone to take the bait. However, he says he much prefers things the way they are now with the two as friends, otherwise, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot could be the next movie to get a legacy sequel.
“It’s 100 percent true. In those days we did all kinds of crazy things to get ahead in our rivalry. Luckily for us and everyone else, today, we root for each other. Thank God, because we sure don’t ever need another Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.”
Stallone and Schwarzenegger have appeared together in three Expendables movies. They also co-starred in the 2013 film Esacpe Plan, the first movie to feature the two as co-leads. Behind the scenes, the pair also reunite from time to time, which includes meeting up in October to celebrate the spooky holiday.