There have been so many Rocky boxing movies that one would need a guide to all Rocky movies in order to get a grasp on its deep storylines and arcs.
The “Rocky” movie franchise is one of the most influential and iconic in Hollywood history. The original Rocky movie, released in 1976, told the story of underdog boxer Rocky Balboa and his unlikely journey to the top of the boxing world. The movie was a massive hit with both critics and audiences and spawned five sequels over the next four decades. It made boxing movies a staple in Hollywood subgenres because of their massive appeal to audiences.
Rocky movies feature intense boxing action, and the franchise as a whole helped to popularize the sport of boxing in Hollywood. Numerous other boxing movies have been released in the years since, and many of them have been heavily influenced by the “Rocky” franchise.
How Many Rocky Movies Are There?
There are 8 total Rocky Movies under the Rocky film franchise
Rocky Movies Ranked
Rocky I
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky VI
Rocky V
Creed
Creed II
Rocky Cast
- Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa
- Talia Shire as Adrian
- Burt Young as Paulie
- Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed
- Tony Burton as Duke
- Burgess Meredith as Mickey
Rocky 1976
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but kind-hearted working-class Italian-American boxer working as a loan shark’s enforcer in the slums of Philadelphia.
Rocky starts out as a small-time club fighter, and later gets a shot at the world heavyweight championship. The film also stars Talia Shire as Adrian, Burt Young as Adrian’s brother Paulie, Burgess Meredith as Rocky’s trainer Mickey Goldmill, and Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, Rocky’s main rival and eventual friend.
The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing $225 million worldwide against a budget of just $1.1 million. It was the highest-grossing film of 1976, and received ten Academy Award nominations, winning three, including Best Picture. Its soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 album chart and went on to sell more than two million copies in the United States alone.
Rocky II 1979
Rocky II is a 1979 American sports drama film directed by Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to the 1976 film Rocky and stars Stallone as Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer who is given the opportunity to fight world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in a rematch after their first bout ends in a controversial split decision.
The film also features Talia Shire as Adrian, Burt Young as Paulie, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, Tony Burton as Apollo’s trainer Duke, and Burgess Meredith as Rocky’s trainer Mickey Goldmill. Rocky II was released on June 15, 1979, and grossed $85 million worldwide.
The film opens with a montage of newspaper headlines recounting the events of the first film, followed by a scene in which Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) fight each other to a split decision in their heavyweight championship bout. Apollo Creed decides to give Rocky a rematch, and Rocky trains hard for the fight.
Rocky III 1982
Rocky III is a 1982 American sports drama film directed by Sylvester Stallone. It is the third installment in the Rocky film series and features Stallone as the title character, Rocky Balboa. The film also features Talia Shire as Adrian, Burt Young as Adrian’s brother Paulie, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky’s trainer Mickey Goldmill, and Tony Burton as Apollo’s trainer Tony “Duke” Evers.
Rocky III also marks the film debuts of Mr. T as James “Clubber” Lang, and of Stallone’s then-real-life wife, Brigitte Nielsen, as Rocky’s opponent in the film’s climactic boxing match, Ludmilla Drago. In Rocky III, Rocky Balboa faces James “Clubber” Lang (Mr. T), a boxer who viciously defeated Rocky’s friend Apollo Creed in a match.
Rocky becomes determined to avenge Apollo’s death and trains hard with his old friend and trainer Mickey Goldmill. Rocky III was released on May 28, 1982, and grossed $270 million worldwide. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the award for Best Editing. It was also nominated for several Golden Globe Awards and won the award for Best Supporting Actor (Mr. T).
Rocky IV 1985
Rocky IV is a 1985 American sports drama film directed by Sylvester Stallone. The film stars Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, Rocky’s love interest Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire), and real-life boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).
The film chronicles the life of Rocky Balboa (Stallone), a small-time boxer who gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Creed chooses Rocky at random as his opponent, and the two boxers face off in a highly-publicized exhibition match.
Rocky IV tells the story of how Rocky and Creed become great friends after their previous saga. Things take a turn when Creed dies at the hands of a Russian behemoth of a boxer named Ivan Drago in a boxing match. Rocky is then poised to take revenge on said boxer for Creed’s demise.
Rocky IV was released in the United States on November 27, 1985. The film was a huge box office success, grossing over $300 million worldwide. Critical reception for Rocky IV was mostly positive. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won for Best Editing.
Rocky V 1990
The story of Rocky V is about a former heavyweight boxing champion, Rocky Balboa, who is struggling to adjust to life after his retirement from the ring. He is also dealing with the financial problems that have arisen from his career as a boxer.
In order to make ends meet, Rocky takes on a series of small-time boxing matches. However, when Rocky’s former manager, Duke, offers him a chance to get back into the heavyweight division, Rocky realizes that he still has a passion for boxing. With the help of his trainer, Mickey, Rocky starts to train for a comeback.
The cast of Rocky V includes Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Talia Shire as Adrian, Burt Young as Paulie, Stallone’s real-life son Sage as Rocky’s son Robert, and real-life boxer Tommy Morrison as Tommy Gunn. The director of Rocky V is John G. Avildsen, who also directed the first Rocky film.
Rocky Balboa 2006
The fight’s story starts when Rocky Balboa steps out of retirement to fight a new opponent in a new, dramatically different era. After beating the champion in a virtual boxing match, he decides to fight in real life, weighing the benefits and dangers of an exhibition match. Although Rocky is clearly past his prime, he still has the talent to win. It’s time to get back into the ring and fight for the title of world heavyweight champion.
Creed 2015
Creed is a spin-off of the Rocky film series. The story continues with Rocky Balboa, a widower and boxing trainer. The film features new characters, including a boxer named Adonis Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan. While the film was originally intended to be a stand-alone story, it does introduce new characters. Creed reunites Michael B. Jordan with director Ryan Coogler.
The film is a perfect example of this, with an impressive cast of newcomers and established names. The cast is great and the director knows how to make a film that appeals to critics and audiences. It has a lot of classic moments, as well as “wow” moments. Creed 2015 is an excellent addition to the Rocky series. It’s worth seeing just for its action. There’s no better way to celebrate life than to watch it with loved ones.
Creed II 2018
Creed II follows in the footsteps of the third Rocky film, which tapped into the simmering Cold War tensions in the United States and Russia. This time, however, the story revolves around legacy and destiny. And while it may rely heavily on the earlier film’s glory, Creed II is a thoroughly entertaining fight movie with a fresh, if uneven, feel. Here are some things you need to know before you see Creed II.
The sequel doesn’t quite reach the same heights as its predecessor, but it does succeed in its big fight moments. While Steven Caple Jr. doesn’t have the directorial flair of Coogler, he does succeed in crafting some memorable moments. The middle portion of Creed II drags a bit, as the personal drama between Adonis and Bianca develops. But there’s no denying that Creed is a great movie and a worthy sequel.
