Sylvester Stallone & Burt Reynolds’ Only Movie Together: The Unexpected Box Office Flop

When two iconic screen legends like Sylvester Stallone and Burt Reynolds join forces, expectations run high. Yet their sole on-screen collaboration, Driven (2001), directed by ’90s action maestro Renny Harlin, proved to be a surprising disappointment—both critically and commercially—marking one of the most regrettable entries in their illustrious careers.

A Dream Team on Paper

Driven brought together Stallone and Reynolds in the high-octane world of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). Stallone not only starred as Joe “The Hummer” Tanto, a retired racing champion coaxed back into the sport to mentor rookie sensation Jimmy Bly (Kip Pardue), but also wrote and produced the film. Burt Reynolds played Carl Henry, the tough team owner pushing Tanto to return.

The film’s genesis stemmed from Stallone’s fascination with racing. While filming Judge Dredd in Europe, he became enamored with Formula 1 but faced roadblocks securing access. Instead, he pivoted the script to the CART series, aiming to explore the human stories behind the helmets—a theme reminiscent of his beloved Rocky series.

A Rocky Road to the Screen

Despite Stallone’s passion, getting Driven made was a struggle. He spent four years shopping the screenplay around Hollywood before Warner Bros. finally agreed to distribute it, pairing Stallone once again with Harlin, whose previous collaboration on Cliffhanger revived Stallone’s career in the early ’90s.

But passion alone couldn’t guarantee success. Released on April 27, 2001, Driven bombed at the box office, grossing just $54.6 million against a hefty $72 million budget. Critics tore apart the film for weak character development, a muddled plot, and unconvincing CGI.

What Went Wrong?

The switch from Formula 1 to CART may have alienated racing purists and casual viewers alike. Moreover, despite Stallone’s immersive research and genuine intent to capture the “human aspect” of racing, the final product failed to resonate. Harlin reportedly had a four-hour cut of the film, which was drastically trimmed for theaters, likely removing valuable narrative depth.

Critics and audiences alike lamented the film’s inability to deliver compelling drama, with Roger Ebert notably describing other Reynolds projects like City Heat as a “travesty” and viewing Driven in a similar light.

Legacy of a Missed Opportunity

Both Stallone and Reynolds have faced their share of cinematic missteps, but Driven stands out as a rare collaboration that never clicked. For Stallone—who forged a career from writing and starring in the heartfelt Rocky—Driven was a reminder that even passion projects can falter. For Reynolds, whose career had been peppered with both hits and flops, it was another chapter in a career of highs and lows.

While Driven failed to capture the imagination of audiences, it remains a curious footnote in the legacies of two of Hollywood’s toughest, most enduring stars—a testament to how even legends c