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Rent Rocky V on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Rocky V 's attempts to recapture the original's working-class grit are as transparently phony as each of the thuddingly obvious plot developments in a misguided installment that sent the franchise flailing into longterm limbo.

Critics Reviews

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John G. Avildsen

Sylvester Stallone

Rocky Balboa

Talia Shire

Richard Gant

George Washington Duke

Sage Stallone

Rocky Balboa Jr

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Common sense media reviewers.

Unnecessary, lazy sequel is overly violent.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

As in other Rocky movies, persistence and determin

Rocky and Tommy Gunn settle their differences by e

Boxing violence. In a montage, Tommy Gunn shown br

Brief male nudity, buttocks: Rocky in the shower.

"Bulls--t," "goddamn," "bitch," "damn," "hell."

Rebellious teens smoke cigarettes. Adults smoke ci

Parents need to know that Rocky V is a 1990 shark-jumping sequel of the beloved franchise. While the boxing violence in any Rocky movie is to be as expected as the excessive montage usage, the violence in this one is as much out of the ring as in it. In fact, a big takeaway here is that violence is…

Positive Messages

As in other Rocky movies, persistence and determination are shown through dialogue and montage. However, the movie also sends a message that violence/fighting is the best and perhaps only way to solve most problems.

Positive Role Models

Rocky and Tommy Gunn settle their differences by engaging in a very bloody street fight.

Violence & Scariness

Boxing violence. In a montage, Tommy Gunn shown brutally knocking out opponent after opponent. Tommy and Rocky get into a vicious street fight: violent punches, kicks, lots of blood. Rocky Jr. is bullied by two kids in his new school -- they punch him, knock him to the ground. Rocky Jr. responds by fighting back after a montage shows him working out all the time with help from Uncle Paulie. Fighting seen as basically the only solution to any problem these characters face. Tommy Gunn talks of having a physically abusive father.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Brief male nudity, buttocks: Rocky in the shower. Rocky tells Adrian that he wants to "violate [her] like a parking meter." Aggressive reporter at a press conference loudly tells everyone "I heard she comes cheap" in regards to Tommy Gunn's new girlfriend. Rocky finds a drawing his son made of his French teacher, topless, with her large bust accentuated.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Rebellious teens smoke cigarettes. Adults smoke cigarettes. Uncle Paulie is often drunk, sneaking sips of alcohol from a flask. Beer and cocktail drinking. On Christmas Eve, Uncle Paulie comes downstairs into the living room dressed as Santa Claus -- he's shown drunk and stumbling, leading one of Rocky Jr.'s new bad-kid friends to mutter, "looks like you got a 90 Proof Santa."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Rocky V is a 1990 shark-jumping sequel of the beloved franchise. While the boxing violence in any Rocky movie is to be as expected as the excessive montage usage, the violence in this one is as much out of the ring as in it. In fact, a big takeaway here is that violence is the best and perhaps only way to solve any and all conflicts. Be it Rocky's issues with his protégé-turned-Judas Tommy Gunn, or Rocky Jr.'s bullying at the hands of young teen street punks, the lingering message is that fighting makes everything OK. The issue of concussions and brain damage is discussed occasionally, but instead of it being actually meaningful and substantive, the issue just seems to be there as a device to move the story. There are shots of brief male nudity, buttocks. Rocky tells Adrian that he wants to "violate [her] like a parking meter." Rocky finds a drawing his son made of his French teacher, topless, with her large bust accentuated. The movie has drinking, drunkenness, and smoking, as well as some profanity: "bulls--t," "goddamn," "bitch," "damn," and "hell." Overall, the story is unnecessary, with forced storylines and the sense that the whole thing was phoned in. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (8)

Based on 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After pulling off the incredible defeat of Soviet powerhouse Ivan Drago, Rocky Balboa ( Sylvester Stallone ) is still the champion at the start of ROCKY V. But when he can't stop his hands from shaking after the fight with Drago, doctors confirm that all the fights and blows to the head have taken their toll on Rocky; he has suffered brain damage and is told to stop fighting if he wants to continue living. As if this weren't bad enough, Rocky and Adrian ( Talia Shire ) learn that their fortune has been completely stolen after an unscrupulous accountant took advantage of Uncle Paulie ( Burt Young ) and had him sign documents giving away the money. Suddenly broke, Rocky, Adrian, Paulie, and Rocky Jr. must leave their palatial mansion and go back to where they started: the streets of North Philadelphia, where they still own their old flat in the neighborhood, as well as the old gym that used to belong to Rocky's late trainer, Mickey ( Burgess Meredith ). Rocky decides to reopen the gym as Adrian takes her old job back at the neighborhood aquarium store, and Rocky Jr. makes the transition from elite prep school to tough inner-city public school. This is when Tommy Gunn, a young boxer from Oklahoma, arrives practically on Rocky's doorstep, begging Rocky to train and manage him. Rocky is reluctant at first, but when he does agree to train and manage Gunn, he begins to vicariously experience the boxing thrills he once knew firsthand, at the expense of his relationships with Adrian and Rocky Jr. But as Gunn's career rises through the ranks of boxing, Gunn feels he's being portrayed as a puppet of Rocky by the press, and he's lured into the glamorous life by a corrupt boxing promoter trying to lure Rocky back into the ring. Gunn unceremoniously dumps Rocky without a trace of remorse. When Gunn defeats the current boxing champion, the press tells Gunn he's a fake because he never fought the champion who went out on top: Rocky. With reporters and camera crews, Gunn -- goaded by his promoter -- goes to the neighborhood bar where Rocky now hangs out, and demands that he fight him so his title has legitimacy. Rocky refuses, but when Gunn knocks over Uncle Paulie, Rocky decides to settle this once and for all -- not in the ring, but outside on the street.

Is It Any Good?

There was really no credible reason for this sequel to be made, and it shows in the forced storyline. Every plot point seems a little too convenient. Convenient, but also a jumbled mess of three stories happening at once -- Rocky adjusting to his new life while vicariously living through a protégé, Rocky Jr. learning to stand up to bullies while also struggling to get the attention of his father, and a corrupt boxing promoter stopping at nothing to get Rocky back in the ring, despite his old age and brain damage. This chaos especially manifests itself in the inevitable montage sequences. So much is happening, and yet, none of it really needs to happen, because it's beyond redundant by this fifth movie in the franchise.

At times, Rocky V feels like little more than an excuse for Stallone to spend time with his son Sage Stallone, who plays the young teen Rocky Jr. Messages on the exploitation of professional athletes and also the effects of concussions and brain damage on aging athletes could actually have meaning to the story but are basically mentioned in passing and only seem to exist to give Rocky a reason to move back to Philly and not step in the ring. It's the proverbial "shark-jumping" sequel if there ever was one, and one of those sequels that cheapens the legacy of the original classic Rocky .

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about sequels. Why do you think they are made? Why is it that sequels are usually not as good as the original? Are there any examples of sequels being just as good if not better than the original movie?

What messages does Rocky V send about the use of violence when faced with conflict? Did the violence in the movie seem like a natural extension of who these characters were, or did it seem forced and gratuitous?

How does this one compare to other Rocky movies?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 16, 1990
• On DVD or streaming : May 6, 2014
• Cast : Sylvester Stallone , Talia Shire , Burt Young
• Director : John Avildsen
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : MGM
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts , Friendship , High School
• Run time : 104 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• Last updated : February 28, 2024

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LENINGRAD: THE 900 DAYS – Sergio Leone’s Unmade Epic

Sunset boulevard: the making of the billy wilder classic, dawn of the dead (2004) – a 20th anniversary retrospective, reacher: the hits and misses of amazon prime’s popular series, making the munsters (1963-66), the avengers: the emma peel years (1965-1968), hollywood feuds: angelina jolie and jon voight, who killed hot toddy the mysterious death of thelma todd, the hollywood vampires – a drunken oral history, scholars’ spotlight: the sad story of “fatty” arbuckle, louise brooks – a scholars’ spotlight, scholars’ spotlight: tom baker, the garfield movie (2024) review, if review: imagine that, kingdom of the planet of the apes review: been there, done that, james bond in space the making of moonraker (1979), scholars’ spotlight: audrey hepburn, scholars’ spotlight: robert shaw, revisiting austin film festival darling re: uniting ahead of its upcoming release, director danny lee and the legendary stan smith talk who is stan smith, dancing village: the curse begins – an interview with director kimo stamboel, rocky v (1990): a retrospective review, introduction, in the pantheon of rocky movies, rocky v (1990) is the unwanted stepchild. even its writer/star sylvester stallone isn’t a fan of the way it closed the franchise (at that time). he laments that he should’ve (at least) ended the movie with a fight in the ring. for most, rocky v is just too different. it strays from the franchise’s formula. yet it’s those differences that are the film’s strengths, and the reason it deserves appreciation. before looking at rocky v in greater depth, though, let’s recap each movie., the other movies, rocky (1976) remains an unparalleled classic. it’s the story of an underdog who gets a one-in-a-million shot and pushes the heavyweight champ, apollo creed, the distance. it’s not just the best rocky movie, but also one of the best sporting movies there is..

Everything in Rocky works. Stallone as Rocky. Talia Shire, as the shy love interest, Adrian. Burt Young as the boorish friend Paulie. Carl Weathers as the charismatic undisputed heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. Burgess Meredith as the irascible trainer Mickey Goldmill, and, of course, the fabulous and timeless score.

Rocky ii (1979) is the inevitable sequel that marches to a predetermined conclusion. however, stallone is smart enough to install enough twists that we remain engaged. by the time the title fight comes around, rocky’s stakes have become so magnified that they humanize him to us. he’s married. he has a baby boy, and he has absolutely no other skills to make something of himself in this world. it’s a far cry from his life as a loan shark..

Rocky III (1982) is a well-intentioned film. It’s the story of how a fighter copes once he’s gotten to the top, and has lost some of the hunger that made him a champ. The film is effectively one music video after another.

We get a recap of the rocky ii title fight. a montage of rocky’s title defenses. a montage of clubber lang’s fights as he marches up the rankings. a boxer vs wrestler exhibition match against the wrestler thunderlips (hulk hogan). some training montages. a fight against clubber. some more training montages, and yet another fight against clubber. interspersed throughout is some dialogue that was probably written on a matchbook cover..

One of my other complaints about Rocky III is that given Rocky loses to Clubber Lang halfway through the movie, it’s hardly a surprise how the rematch will turn out. I always thought it would’ve worked better had Rocky withdrawn from the first title fight, vacated the title after Mickey’s death, and then decided to reclaim it as part of a spiritual journey in taking ownership of his life.

Rocky iv (1985) is the worst of the movies from a narrative standpoint. all the other movies tell a story about rocky’s growth as a boxer, a husband, a father, and a person. however, rocky iv is pure 1980s schlock. a film primarily focused on revenge. you can just imagine how the trailer could’ve been cut: “they killed his best friend …”.

Coming fifteen years after the release of Rocky V , Rocky Balboa aka Rocky VI  (2006) seems to be a superfluous entry. Although, apparently, the film is also something of Stallone’s apology for putting out Rocky V .

Widowed, and running a middle-class restaurant, rocky struggles with where he fits in the world, and typically he can only find meaning in the ring. the champion, dixon “the line” mason, is apparently so unbeatable that there are no legitimate challengers remaining. well, until a computer boxing simulation that sees rocky beat him dents his pride..

All the movies are beautifully made. At the very least, they’re all enjoyable on a purely visceral level. All but Rocky IV try to say something about how we fit in the world, while both Rocky III and Rocky IV are more about the fight sequences than the story. They’re bubblegum action movies typical of 1980s fodder – enjoyable, but lacking the meat of the other movies.

Throughout the series, stallone is brilliant at creating an (and one-upping the) antagonist. who could possibly succeed carl weathers as the boisterous apollo creed enter mr. t as the angry wrecking machine clubber lang. how could you possibly better lang here comes dolph lundgren’s ivan drago, a seven-foot russian who’s the product of science and chemical engineering..

By the time Rocky Balboa comes around, larger-than-life opponents aren’t needed given Rocky’s age is the biggest challenger. Real-life light-heavyweight champion Antoni Tarver is given the job of playing the champ, Mason Dixon, a boxer who’s grown disenfranchised because he’s too good for the competition. He doesn’t need to be loud or oversized. He can just be, given Rocky has enough adversity to overcome.

The bad about rocky v, the premise of rocky v is that rocky loses all his money and assets due to a crooked accountant. rocky has to move back to the old neighborhood, where he takes over mickey’s gym, while adrian goes back to her job at the pet store. when a young prospect, tommy gunn, entreats rocky’s help, rocky tries to step into the role of mentor and trainer, although the time and energy spent with his charge alienate him from his son..

The biggest problem here is Rocky’s bankruptcy. Stallone gives Rocky brain damage from the Drago fight, which prohibits him from exploring further boxing as a financial solution. But surely somebody with Rocky’s profile, somebody as beloved as Rocky, could get some cushy sponsorship gigs, some cushy commercials, some cushy commentary gigs, some cushy anything. He’s so beloved he’d probably get donations from his fans.

The story fleetingly references why he can’t go back into making commercials – apparently, it has something to do with his history in loansharking. even back in the 1990s, surely that would’ve hardly excluded rocky from making a living – especially since it hadn’t in rocky ii ..

Funnily, the story doesn’t actually need Rocky to be bankrupt to function, although it’s understandable that Rocky’s impoverishment increases the stakes and further justifies why he’d explore becoming a manager and a trainer, and why he does it at the sacrifice of the relationship with his own son.

But it could’ve been just as interesting had rocky remained wealthy but out of touch with his roots, and his relationship with tommy was a way of rediscovering what’s important to him. it could’ve been a commentary on how wealth doesn’t buy happiness., stallone’s genius, all the other movies follow the same pattern: rocky is pitted in a battle against a better-rated opponent. stallone’s a genius in this regard – even when rocky’s champion in rocky iii and rocky iv , he still has to face opponents who are better fighters (apollo twice, and the second time super focused), stronger (clubber lang, ivan drago), or both (mason dixon), delegating rocky into his prize role of underdog..

This is when sporting stories work: our protagonist has to be the underdog facing a seemingly unconquerable (and usually villainous) champion. That’s what makes the story compelling. That’s why we live vicariously through these characters – their pursuit of the impossible. If we flip the dynamic, where’s the tension? Nobody wants to see a champion defeating an inferior challenger.

It’s one thing that always bemused me in regard to another boxing movie in southpaw (2015). jake gyllenhaal plays the undefeated champion, billy hope. when his wife is killed, his life unravels. after a series of mishaps, his daughter is then taken away from him, and billy hope must find a way to get back in the ring and win, securing his financial future, and proving that he is a fit to be a father and have his daughter returned to him..

Outside of Billy Hope needing to rediscover his focus, why shouldn’t we believe he’ll win back the title? Prior to his wife’s death, he was the undefeated champion. He’s not some untrained talent like Rocky is in Rocky . He’s not seemingly too old, like Rocky is in Rocky III , or overmatched, like in Rocky IV . Billy Hope is the best in the freaking world!

Sports movies need to be david vs goliath stories because as audiences seeking escapism through storytelling, we want and need to believe in something greater than everything we know. and that includes winning against all the odds..

The Good about Rocky V

After john avildsen directed the original rocky , stallone took over as director for the next three sequels. avildsen returned for rocky v , and immediately infused the movie with grit that the glamorous rocky iii and rocky iv are lacking., rocky v also does something completely different from all the other movies – it’s no longer about rocky the boxer. it’s about rocky moving into a new phase of his life as a manager/trainer, learning how to handle this difficult personality in tommy gunn (tommy morrison) while navigating boxing’s politics, and finding a way to reconnect with his estranged son..

The main story is the classic master and apprentice story – it’s a well-used trope where the apprentice feels they’ve outgrown the master. Then you know they’re going to clash, and who will people side with? The brash young challenger? Or the lovable old master?

Tommy morrison was a legitimate heavyweight who, until his life went awry, was actually rated up there with mike tyson as a boxing prospect. morrison’s acting is earnest, a prototype of mark wahlberg, and his incarnation of tommy gunn comes across as callow, but it fits the character. you know he’ll get seduced by the riches boxing offers, and that he’ll inevitably face rocky..

It’s arguably the most novel and original storyline since the first movie and shows Rocky dealing with life post-boxing, and struggling to find how and where he fits. Ultimately, he realizes it’s not about wealth as long as he has what’s always been most important to him: family .

Yo, adrian, something that is also worth mentioning is talia shire as adrian. the character is often dismissed as little more than an accouterment to rocky, whereas creed’s partner, bianca, in the creed franchise is lauded for having her own career, etc. however, adrian plays a vital role throughout the franchise..

She is the heart of the Balboa family, the voice of reason, and always the person who is able to pick Rocky up and reorient him. While that might not sound important, she is pivotal in his success as a boxer and as a person. Without her, Rocky would end up a bum or a criminal. Her importance should not be downplayed.

In rocky v , she gives her most heartfelt speech, pointing out to rocky that while he sees himself in tommy, while rocky himself thought he could be like mickey, what tommy lacks is rocky’s heart, and what’s of paramount importance is rocky’s relationship with his rebellious son..

The Climactic Fight

Stallone laments the lack of a climactic fight in the boxing ring, but i love the street fight. given that the story’s about roots and being true to oneself, it’s fitting that rocky and tommy gunn settle their differences on the street., this is the only fight in the rocky franchise where rocky doesn’t enter it as an underdog. tommy is recognized as a paper champion, the beneficiary of a fix and rocky’s retirement. rocky is exalted as the real champion. it’s a nice narrative flourish we haven’t seen before. but the equalizer is rocky battling with his brain damage..

When they initially fight on the street, Rocky pummels Tommy and accounts for him easily. Tommy’s comebacks always come when Rocky’s back is turned, showing him as underhanded and willing to do anything to win. He even figuratively (but perhaps also literally , too) stabs a former mentor in the back.

We get an inspiring flashback speech from mickey that resurrects rocky from the brink of defeat and then, given it’s a street fight, some genuine street-fighting moves from rocky that finish tommy. rocky even gets to triumph over the evil boxing promoter..

The End That Wasn’t

One of the other issues with rocky v that robs the narrative of its dramatic impetus (to an extent) is that it was originally meant to end with rocky dying. the whole story is built to deliver that climax: we have the brain damage, the flashbacks that momentarily incapacitate rocky, and the free-for-all on the street. rocky was meant to die and put an end to the franchise, but the studio and stallone grew worried about that as a narrative decision., stallone felt that the character was meant to be about “perseverance” and “redemption” so killing him in a brawl on the street would be counter-intuitive. here’s our heroic character dying ignobly. but maybe there’s a message in that also – that we have to embrace change in our life rather than fight it, and stay true to what’s most important to us. you can only wonder how the story would be considered had that ending remained..

The means of bankrupting Rocky and keeping him impoverished is terrible. I’m sure wealthy people lose their fortunes in similar circumstances all the time. However, given Rocky’s profile, you’d think it would be a relatively easy fix without requiring him to reenter the boxing ring. But the rest of the story about an aging boxer whose health issues have retired him trying to find purpose through a student is a captivating one.

Also, rocky never seems quite himself in rocky iii and rocky iv . it’s as if his wealth has intellectualized and cultivated him, thus distancing him from the character we’ve grown to know and love. that’s not to say people don’t change. yet, it does become a tale of two rocky balboas, with rocky v presenting an incarnation that’s truer to the original movie..

The other movies also never really deal with the politics outside the ring – about as close as we get is Apollo Creed trying to find a stopgap opponent for the original title fight. That’s it. In Rocky V , we see a powerful and conniving promoter, George W. Duke (an awesomely charismatic and slimy Richard Gant, playing an obvious rip of boxing promoter Don King) manipulating the sport to try to finagle a big Rocky Balboa payoff.

Rocky v isn’t a perfect movie, but in the pantheon of rocky movies, it deserves a lot more love than it gets. even from sylvester stallone. and i’m prepared to challenge him to a street fight to get him to change his mind., if you enjoyed this article we recommend:, aliens (1986): a 35th anniversary retrospective ( click here ), the french connection (1971): 50 years later ( click here ), boogie nights: a 25th anniversary oral history ( click here ), if you don’t want to miss any of our content in the future like us on facebook and follow us on twitter and instagram, share this:, related articles, tenebrae: a 4k review of dario argento’s horror classic, the devils (1971): a retro review, short cuts (1993) – a 30th anniversary review, the life of emile zola (1937) – a retro review, cinema scholars.

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Rocky V Review

01 Jan 1990

104 minutes

Some 14 years and $800 million later, Sylvester Stallone here finally closes the series that catapaulted him into the first division of male stars. Avildsen, who won an Oscar for the first and still best-regarded of the films, returns as director and puts Rocky through this rather grim tale of moral deception against the familiar backdrop of extras - Talia Shire, Burt Young and Burgess Meredith.

Returning from his unlikely title fight with Ivan Drago in Moscow (Rocky IV), Philly's favourite punchbag discovers that years of hitting other people's fists with his head have knocked something loose, and his fighting days are over. He's also greeted by financial disaster because, thanks to dumb brother-in-law Paulie, all his wealth has been syphoned off by a crooked accountant. This plot device out of the way, things get going. Simple dilemmas are at the heart of all the Rocky films and here it's "if he can't fight, what can he do to prove he's a man?" The answer of course is, er, fight.

That accepted, it's still good value, though the opening, with Rocky slumped in the shower room, rambling and incoherent, unable to control his shaking hands after the bruising bout with Drago, promises much more than the rest of the film ever delivers.

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Rocky V (1990)

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Rocky V Reviews

• 55   Metascore
• 1 hr 44 mins
• Drama, Comedy, Action & Adventure
• Watchlist Where to Watch

A brain-damaged and broke Rocky returns to his old working-class neighborhood in Philadelphia, where he shows a promising young boxer the ropes.

A special facet of all the "Rocky" films is that they give Sylvester Stallone, a frequently underrated screen personality, a magnificent opportunity to perform at his very best--for if ever an actor was meant for a part, Stallone was born to play Rocky Balboa. Even the weakest of the films provides an uplifting experience, an experience seldom equalled in other films of the generation. It is even conceivable that this film, along with the first and third entries in the series, will go down in film history as classics of the genre; and rightfully so. The film picks up where ROCKY IV ended, with Rocky (Stallone) returning to Philadelphia from the Soviet Union after defeating his huge Russian challenger in a brutal bout. Rocky has little time to bask in his glory, however. He quickly learns that his boxing career has left him with irreparable brain damage and his fortune, which he had entrusted to his dimwitted brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young), has been squandered by an incompetent accountant. Deeply in debt to the Internal Revenue Service, Rocky is forced to sell all his possessions, including his mansion. Rocky, his wife Adrian (Talia Shire), and son Rocky, Jr. (Stallone's real-life son Sage), move back to his old neighborhood in seedy South Philadelphia. Adjustment to the dramatically different lifestyle proves to be most difficult for Rocky, Jr., who quickly becomes involved with a bad crowd. Meanwhile, financially desperate Rocky is tempted to re-enter the ring when shady, flamboyant promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) offers him a huge sum of money to defend his title. Adrian, however, is adamant that Rocky not risk his life by returning to the ring. Rocky's future looks bleak until he is approached by a young boxer named Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison), who idolizes the champ and begs him to help him train. Rocky agrees to the arrangement, which puts a further strain on his relationship with his son, who believes Rocky is neglecting him in favor of his protege. The boy becomes even more deeply involved with the bad company he keeps. Events turn when Gunn dumps Rocky and winds up in promoter Duke's camp. While this gives father and son a chance to reconcile, it also poses a threat to Rocky as the increasingly more arrogant Gunn continually challenges his former mentor, soon leaving Rocky no choice but to take on his star pupil. Reportedly the last of the "Rocky" films, this was, despite its poor box-office performance, one of the best. John G. Avildsen returned to direct this film, his first since helming the original film in 1976, and he once again gives the story the gritty emotion and realism that made the first film so successful. This movie brings the saga full cycle, tracing Rocky from his humble beginnings through his many triumphs and ultimately his return to hard times. ROCKY V seems an appropriate finale to the series, providing a logical climax to the story. Stallone is splendid, as are cast regulars Shire and Young. Though his character was killed off in the third film, Burgess Meredith returns here as a spiritual guide seen only in Rocky's mind, and he is again very effective as the wily fight manager. For fans of the series, these characters have become old friends and it will be with much regret, no doubt, that they will part with them. For the most part, the "Rocky" pictures have been outstanding entertainments, beautifully crafted and executed, and ROCKY V is an important and worthwhile addition to the series. (Violence, adult situations, mild profanity.)

In other words, because he fought for his country, Rocky 1) loses all of his money, and 2) loses his means to make money.

The obvious lesson from Sylvester Stallone? Never fight for your country .

Worst of the Rockys Here�s how bad �Rocky V� is: Stallone�s son, Sage, who plays Rocky�s son, Robert, is the best thing in it.

In a scathing piece in The New York Times in 1985 , Vincent Canby anticipated Stallone�s problems with a �Rocky IV� sequel:

The actor, who refought and won the Vietnam War in �Rambo,� has taken it upon himself to fight and win a war that hasn�t yet been declared�World War III. There�s nothing left for a �Rocky V� except a Miltonian confrontation with Satan.�

So Stallone did the opposite. He did with �Rocky� what the Beatles did with �The White Album�: returned to basics. Except the Beatles made music out of it, and Stallone makes crap.

Let�s start with the notion that Rocky couldn�t make money off his name. Yes yes yes, in �Rocky II� he couldn�t act in a TV commercial with a nasty director. So what? Get a better director. Or do print ads. Or just monetize your brand, as they say today. Christ, he�s the two-time heavyweight champion of the world...and he�s white! Every doofus in the world knows you can monetize that shit. Instead, the movie pretends otherwise for the entire movie .

But at least Rocky starts up Mick�s Boxing Gym. That�s not a bad idea. Rock becomes Mick. It�s a livin�, not a waste of life. Then he takes on a brash kid from Oklahoma, absurdly named Tommy Gunn (real-life boxer Tommy Morrison), and then more absurdly nicknamed Tommy �The Machine� Gunn, because the real name isn�t perfect enough already. (It�s like giving a nickname to Coco Crisp.) And Rocky trains Tommy to be champ.

This is the centerpiece of the film. All of the movie�s remaining conflicts arise from this simple fact: Rocky trains Tommy. From that, we get this:

• Rocky ignores his own son, Robert Jr. (Sage), in favor of his adopted son, Tommy, in a way that everyone sees except Rocky.
• In the press, Rocky is given all of the credit for Tommy�s rise, and Tommy becomes resentful in a way that everyone sees except Rocky.
• A Don King-like boxing promoter, George Washington Duke (Richard Gant), steals Tommy away by plying him with something that famous professional athletes never encounter: women willing to sleep with them.
• Duke�s ultimate goal is to get Rocky back into the ring because he�s the only boxer that any boxing fan cares about. Apparently not enough to buy anything with his name on it, mind you, but certainly enough to watch him die in the ring. Because that�s entertainment.

Adrian (Talia Shire), who sees all of this happening, doesn�t say anything until the 11th hour, in an argument outside on Christmas Eve, in which Rocky talks up the smell of the neighborhood and yells, �I see where we are! I don�t want this no more!� within earshot of everyone who actually lives there. Classy, Rocko.

But eventually Rocky sees the light, and makes it up with Adrian, and Robert Jr., and Paulie, and they all go home happy. The end.

Oh right. The fight.

Brain and brain, what is brain? It�s a �Rocky� movie so there�s gotta be a fight. But in all �Rocky� movies there has to be a reason that prevents the fight so we don�t get it until the end.

In �Rocky II� what prevents the fight is he might go blind if he fights; plus Adrian doesn�t want him to fight. But then he learns to fight right-handed and Adrian says �Win� and off we go.

In �III� he loses the eye of the tiger. But then Apollo Creed makes him live with black people so he gets it back.

In �IV,� I guess nothing really prevents the fight. He�s determined to beat the Russian as soon as Apollo is killed.

And in �V�? What prevents the fight is he might die if he fights . So how does Stallone overcome this dilemma? Well, Rocky just doesn�t die. He fights Tommy in the street because Tommy�s a little shit, and Duke doesn�t make any money off it. Of course, neither does Rocky. But he�s got family. Plus the old neighborhood. Which stinks.

Here�s the real resolution to that dilemma: Apparently Stallone gave Rocky cavum septum pellucidum because he planned to actually kill him off. But then everyone said, �No, you can�t kill him off.� So he didn�t. So Rocky fights with cavum septum pellucidum but his brain is cool with it. He doesn�t die.

But �Rocky� fans did a little bit. “Rocky V” drove our brains to a spot where it shouldn�t be.

© Erik Lundegaard. All rights reserved.

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Rocky V Ending Explained: The Home Team

Has there ever been a franchise entry more of a cinematic buzzkill than " Rocky V ?" I'm struggling to think of one. It's a dour affair compared to the goofy bombast of "Rocky IV" and is generally regarded as the worst film of the original series, but it does have some things going for it. Sylvester Stallone deserves credit for trying to do something different with this one, arresting the out-of-control trajectory of the first four movies by sending his most beloved character back to his roots. If he hadn't, the next logical step would have been for Rocky Balboa (Stallone) to face off against a terrifying alien warrior, but his arch-rival Arnold Schwarzenegger beat him to the punch on that one in "Predator."

Originally intended as the last part of the series, Stallone attempted to steer the Italian Stallion's saga back to the gritty drama of "Rocky." To that end, director John G. Avildsen returned to the franchise for the first time since winning his Best Director Oscar for the first film, bringing back some street-level scuzz as well as some flashy editing in the final fight that wouldn't look out of place in a "Natural Born Killers" hallucination sequence.

Despite its moribund reputation, "Rocky V" is at least interesting, for both good reasons and bad. The film gives us a new angle on the character and some deeper themes that make the previous installment seem very formulaic, but the storytelling is so blundering that each wrinkle is hit on the nose harder than Rocky Balboa getting punched in the face by Ivan Drago. Add to that some bizarre continuity errors at the beginning, and you've got a botched and murky melodrama that hasn't got the quality to match its ambitions. Let's take a look at how it staggers to the final bell.

So what happens in Rocky V again?

We pick up immediately after Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) has defeated Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in " Rocky IV ," returning home to find his son Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone) has aged five years almost overnight, presumably from the stress of being left home alone on Christmas Day to watch his dad fight the Russian killing machine who murdered Uncle Apollo in the ring. It's a bewildering continuity oversight that could have been easily fixed by a "five years later" caption that never comes.

At a press conference greeting the returning hero, Rocky is approached by boxing promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) who wants him to fight his challenger, Union Cane (Michael Williams). Rocky turns it down but has second thoughts when he finds out that his brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young) foolishly signed over power of attorney to his dodgy accountant and lost all his money. Reasoning a few more fights will put him in the clear again, Rocky decides to fight Cane, but his doctor tells him he is suffering from brain damage from the million or so headshots he has taken throughout his career.

Now totally broke, Rocky and the family have no choice but to return to their old neighborhood in Philadelphia, where he starts training fighters at his old gym while Rocky Jr. becomes the target of bullies at his new school. Rocky reassures the boy that things will be alright because they'll stick together as the "home team."

With Duke still trying to tempt Rocky with another lucrative payday, the Italian Stallion sees another way out when he is approached by a raw young fighter called Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison). Initially put off by Tommy's brutal style in the ring, he reluctantly agrees to become his manager.

Father figures in Rocky V

Much of the drama in "Rocky V" comes from how Sylvester Stallone's screenplay explores the various father figures in the story. Rocky never knew his dad, and a flashback hammers home the point that Mickey (Burgess Meredith) was like a surrogate father to him. 

This dynamic is echoed in the relationship that develops between Tommy and Rocky. Tommy reveals that he was physically abused by his dad as a kid, and every time he steps into the ring it is his old man he's trying to knock out. As his new manager, Rocky becomes a father figure to the young fighter in the same way that Mickey became his. The difference is, Tommy's emotional scarring has turned him mean and he doesn't know how to deal with that love, resulting in him ultimately ditching Rocky for the fame and fortune Duke promises.

The heart of the film is the relationship between Rocky and his son, who comes to resent his dad because he spends more time nurturing Tommy's progress rather than devoting time to him when he needs it the most. Preyed upon by bullies, it falls to Paulie and another trainer at the gym to teach him how to look after himself, and he is deeply hurt when he overhears Rocky telling Tommy that they're the "home team."

There are some interesting possibilities here, but the shortcomings of Stallone's writing mean that each of these beats comes across as a perfunctory plot point rather than helping the characters develop in an emotionally engaging way. Whereas the first movie took its time exploring the motivations of the characters, this time Stallone seems in too much of a hurry to deliver the payoff, which lands with a bit of a splat as a result.

Rocky's judgement isn't so sound these days

From the opening scene of " Rocky V ," we're shown that the beating Rocky takes from Ivan Drago has a profound physical effect on him. As the story moves forward, we see that it has taken its toll mentally, too, with the brain damage he has suffered making him permanently punchy. The Italian Stallion was never the brightest spark but now he is frequently befuddled, slurring his words worse than usual and mixing up names and numbers.

This leads to one of the saddest aspects of "Rocky V." One of the most appealing traits of Rocky's character is that he is so open-hearted that he always sees the best in everyone. Here his kindness has become impaired by his head trauma, causing him to make errors of judgment, like neglecting his kid while pouring all his faith and love into Tommy, who we can tell is a wrong 'un from the moment we first lay eyes on him.

It isn't just the brain damage that twists his decision-making. After years of living as a champion in an opulent mansion, he's back on skid row again. The old neighborhood has slid even further into urban decay since the first film and he just wants better things for his family and himself. This eagerness to hit the big time again blinds him to what Adrian, Paulie, and Rocky Jr. see: Tommy has no heart and "no class," as Paulie correctly calls it for once.

Rocky's misplaced faith in Tommy makes it feel like sacrilege when he first hands the young fighter Apollo's stars-and-stripes shorts and then plans to give him Mickey's cherished gold boxing glove necklace as a Christmas gift. Those items were given out of love to Rocky, who was humble enough to deserve them.

An angel on his shoulder

When Rocky visits Mickey's gym on his return to the neigborhood, he has a tearful flashback to a training session when the old man confessed how much he loved him and gave him something very dear: A golden boxing glove on a chain from Rocky Marciano many years before. He tells Rocky it will be like an "angel on his shoulder," summing up how the crotchety trainer has been with him in spirit since his death in " Rocky III ."

Rocky echoes Mickey's words in Tommy's first professional bout, saying he is there as the angel on Tommy's shoulder to help him overcome his fear and win the fight. That encouragement is the turning point for his fighter, who goes on a devastating unbeaten run toward his own title shot.

This thread pays off after Tommy has left Rocky for Duke and challenges Union Cane for the title. Rocky is watching at home on TV, throwing punches at a heavy bag in excitement, almost as if he's guiding Tommy's hands. It is shot like there is some weird voodoo symbiosis between Rocky and the fighter, and the channel between them goes both ways. As Rocky matches Tommy punch-for-punch on the bag (or vice versa), we see Tommy's meanness emerge on his face. Adrian, Paulie, and Rocky Jr. look on in dismay, appalled by the malign influence Tommy has had on Rocky.

Tommy destroys Cane pretty easily to claim the belt and takes to the microphone to thank the man who made it all happen, the "angel on his shoulder," George Washington Duke. He doesn't even have the humility to acknowledge Rocky for getting him so far in the first place. It's a real kick in the teeth for Rocky, which finally makes him realize what a piece of s*** Tommy is.

Tommy is the anti-Rocky

Tommy Gunn may well come from a poor upbringing like Rocky, but he is just the opposite of the former champ. As Adrian says, "He doesn't have your heart! All those fighters you beat, you beat them with heart, not muscle!"

If Rocky is all heart, Tommy is exactly the opposite, a churlish, vicious, and ungracious fighter who accepts Rocky's hospitality but quickly turns against him when he decides he's not getting rich quickly enough. His resentment grows as he keeps winning fights but Rocky, the national hero, keeps getting the headlines. It probably doesn't help that he is nicknamed "Rocky's Robot" and "The Clone Ranger" due to the similarity in fighting styles; we even see a cartoon sketch of Rocky wearing Tommy like a hand puppet, suggesting that the press thinks he's almost a flesh-and-blood avatar that Balboa is using to challenge for the title again.

The big difference between the two fighters is that Rocky only wanted to go the distance against Apollo Creed to earn some self-respect, while Tommy is determined to crush anyone in his way to acquire riches and fame. He gets what he wants, but he quickly learns that he has won no respect from anyone; the crowd boos him and chants Rocky's name during the title challenge against Cane, and members of the media dismiss his victory as a fight against a "paper champion." It's all part of Duke's dastardly plan to get Rocky back in the ring, telling Tommy that the only way he can get the respect he wants is to beat Balboa.

The Home Team

The "home team" theme takes on a different perspective in the breakneck street brawl finale. After Duke goads Tommy into challenging Rocky to a fight, the new champ heads straight down to the 'hood to call out Rocky, who is having a few brews with Paulie at their local bar. Rocky's having none of it, but offers Tommy outside after the young boxer punches Paulie.

With a large crowd gathering and TV cameras capturing the action, it gets low-down and nasty. Rocky sends Tommy sprawling quickly, who responds with some cheap shots. Feeling the agony of his brain injury, Rocky looks in trouble while his neighbors cheer him on. He gets to his feet and calls for one more round, and then summons up just about everything he has ever learned to get the best of Tommy: Some dirty moves from his street-fighting days, a little quick defensive work from when Apollo taught him how to actually box, maybe even a few wrestling moves from his charity fight with Thunderlips in " Rocky III ." He knocks Tommy out before fronting up to Duke, who threatens to sue if he touches him. Rocky sends him flying with a punch to the stomach; "Sue me for what?"

Rocky's journey has come full circle. He may be skint and "just another bum from the neighborhood" again but the former champ has come back to his people, rediscovering the value of his "home team" in his family and community.

As a closer, Rocky gives his son the golden boxing glove after a jog up the famous steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It turns out that in 20 years of using the steps for training, he's never been inside to look at the "valuable pictures." They walk in together, the old slugger ready to learn something new from his kid.

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The ‘Rocky’ Movies Ranked, From Palooka to Knock-Out

Ranking the Rocky movies isn’t easy—everyone has a specific take. We all have our favorite boxing matches or that one Rocky Balboa storyline we really love, and the Creed movies have just complicated things a little more.

Sylvester Stallone plays Rocky Balboa with ease, bringing the boxer to life with a soft edge that vanishes as soon as he’s up against the ropes. He loved his wife Adrian (Talia Shire) so much and built a friendship with his rival, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), out of their mutual respect for each other. That friendship resulted in Rocky helping Apollo’s son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) in his boxing endeavors.

The franchise is just a good watch all around, but some movies are better than others, so let’s rank the Rocky and the Creed movies from worst to best.

Look, if every Rocky fan could omit Rocky V from the list, we would. It’s just … not good. Rocky is forced to retire because of his injuries and begins training Tommy (Tommy Morrison) to box and take the title. Much of the sequel is also about Rocky’s relationship with his son, Robert (Sage Stallone). It’s the one movie on this list that you could definitely skip if you needed to.

8. Rocky III

Now, I like Rocky III , but out of all of the movies, it’s just a little less good than the others. Rocky is at the height of his career after beating Apollo Creed, but that isn’t enough. Right when he finds success, a young buck comes to town to try and take it from him. Clubber Lang (Mr. T) wants to take Rocky down, which lets us see Rocky and Apollo as friends (and Apollo as Rocky’s trainer). It’s a good time, but just not the best of the films.

7. Creed II

The Creed movies are all good but out of the three, the one that is the most “mid” is Creed II —and even then, it is really good . Adonis Creed is taking on Ivan Drago’s son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu). Rocky is still training him but is obviously worried about a Creed taking on a Drago, especially when Adonis is about to have a baby. It’s a more modernized version of Rocky IV and really works to further the Creed/Rocky/Drago storyline.

6. Rocky II

Remember how the first Rocky movie doesn’t end with Rocky winning, but he still wins the hearts of the audience? Well, Rocky II is his comeback story. And we get to see Rocky trying to capitalize on his success by appearing in a commercial, and that’s pretty fun. Preparing to fight Apollo Creed again, the second film is more about Rocky’s determination this time, without the second-guessing—because he knows that if given the chance, he can win against Creed.

Adonis Creed didn’t know his father, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t his father’s son. Taking on the mantle of “Creed” in the boxing world is daunting, and it is nice to see Rocky Balboa at Adonis’ side, being his trainer and breathing new life into the franchise. It has a lot of the same beats we love from Rocky , but is also completely Adonis’ movie. It really shines when Jordan tackles the boxing franchise on his own.

4. Rocky IV

God, do I love this movie. It makes me cry, cheer, and root for Rocky so loudly. Rocky IV starts with Apollo Creed facing off against Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and realizing very quickly that he has met his match. Creed ends up receiving a fatal blow and Drago kills him in the ring. Rocky, determined to avenge his friend, trains hard to take on Drago—and the rest is cinematic history.

3. Rocky Balboa

The disappointment of Rocky V was quickly forgotten thanks to Rocky Balboa . This sequel is about an aging Rocky who gets challenged by a young fighter named Mason ‘The Line’ Dixon (Antonio Tarver), basically ignoring all of Rocky’s health issues that were established before. There’s also a tense relationship between Rocky and his son (played by Milo Ventimiglia) that makes this sequel more compelling. It is inspirational in that way that only the Rocky movies are, and shows that even when Stallone was almost 60, he could still take on anyone in the ring.

2. Creed III

Michael B. Jordan’s direction in Creed III is stunning and he really makes masterful work of a storyline that feels so quintessentially Rocky that it is perfect. Adonis has to get into the ring with Damian (Jonathan Majors), a man he used to know when he was a kid, and Damian isn’t exactly a fair fighter. It shows Adonis’ ability as a boxer but also who he is as a man, taking on Damian and leaving their past behind.

In what world was Rocky not going to be at the top of this list? A love story that also has some boxing in it, the first Rocky movie is all about Rocky and Adrian falling in love and Rocky trying to find success in boxing to win her over. It is beautiful, captivating, and the reason that so many of us love these movies in the first place!

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The " Rocky " series is finally losing its legs. It's been a long run, one hit movie after another, but "Rocky IV" is a last gasp, a film so predictable that viewing it is like watching one of those old sitcoms where the characters never change and the same situations turn up again and again. Even Sylvester Stallone seems to be getting tired of the series; as the writer and director, as well as the star, he puts himself through the same old paces.

The movie begins with footage from Rocky's big fight with Mr. T. Then we meet Drago ( Dolph Lundgren ), a 6-foot-4, 261-pound Russian fighting machine. Then it's time for a quick roll call of all the regular characters who pop up in every installment. There's a bizarre birthday party for Paulie ( Burt Young ), Rocky's brother-in-law, who gets a robot for his present (the robot, by the way, can understand statements and respond spontaneously, suggesting that Rocky's suppliers have licked the problem of artificial intelligence). Maybe Paulie needs the robot for company; he has apparently made no friends during nine years as the champ's in-law, and only three people attend his party.

There's the obligatory romantic scene between Rocky and his wife Adrian ( Talia Shire ), who seem to have lost all passion during nine years of marriage, and are content to be worshippers at the shrine of their ideal love. There's a walk-on for Rocky Jr., a couple of scenes with old pal Apollo Creed, and then it's time for the big fight scenes and the final freeze-frame.

It's tempting to forget how good the original "Rocky" was, back in 1976. It was a fresh, wonderful film, and we met some real people - quirky, lovable characters - on the way to the final fight scene. Rocky Balboa had a distinctive way of expressing himself, a love of colorful language that set him apart from the cliches of his characters. The people around him were genuine originals.

The next two Rocky pictures lost some of those qualities, but were still superior entertainments. Maybe it was inevitable that Rocky himself came to dominate his movies, while the others were reduced to perfunctory walk-ons. Maybe Rocky's opponents had to grow more and more bizarre, as the human and vulnerable Apollo Creed gave way to Mr. T's antics. But now, with "Rocky IV," almost all of the human emotions have been drained out of the series, and what's left is technology. Stallone assembles and photographs two fight scenes (the first always a loss, the second always a victory), and links them together with perfunctory drama. Even the colorful dialogue is missing this time, replaced with endless, unnecessary songs on the sound track; half the time, we seem to be watching MTV.

"Rocky IV" has many moments that are not believable. My favorite is the moment when Rocky faces Drago in the ring in Moscow, and the all-Russian crowd starts chanting "Rocky! Rocky!" Sure. Uh-huh. You bet. My next favorite moment is when Drago demonstrates that he has four times the punching strength and glove velocity of any other fighter who has ever lived. By my reckoning, and considering how violent a heavyweight punch is anyway, that should be enough to decapitate Rocky. The third most awkward moment is a grotesque exhibition match between Drago and Apollo Creed, who meet on a Las Vegas stage where Creed's warm-up consists of an appearance with soul singer James Brown . This single scene sets some kind of a record: It represents almost everything that the original 1976 Rocky Balboa would have found repellent.

Drago makes more of a James Bond villain than a Rocky-style character. He's tall, blond, taciturn, and hateful. He lets his wife ( Brigitte Nielsen ) do almost all of the talking on his behalf, and yet, interestingly, he and his wife do not have a single intimate scene together. Their most personal moments seem to occur at press conferences. Why couldn't (a) Drago do his own talking, or (b) Drago not require a wife in the movie? Could the answer be that Brigitte Nielsen is Stallone's girl-friend?

"Rocky IV" is movie-making by the numbers. Even the climactic fight scene isn't as exciting as it should be, maybe because we know with a certainty born of long experience how it will turn out. Stallone says this will be the last Rocky movie. He should have taken Rocky Marciano as an example, and retired undefeated.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Rocky Iv (1985)

Dolph Lundgren as Drago

Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed

James Brown as Godfather of Soul

Burt Young as Paulie

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa

Talia Shire as Adrian

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Written and directed by

• Sylvester Stallone

Produced by

• Robert Chartoff
• Irwin Winkler

Photographed by

• Bill Butler
• Vince DiCola

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Hop Into the Ring With ‘Rocky’ In this Stunning 4K Six-Movie Collection

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The Big Picture

• Get ready to experience the entire Rocky film series in 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever this summer.
• The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection includes all six films, with extended director's cuts of Rocky IV and Rocky Balboa .
• Avid collectors can pre-order the set on Amazon now for release this July.

It's about to get "Rocky" this summer as Sylvester Stallone 's legendary Rocky film series is getting a six-movie set on 4K Ultra UD for the first time ever. From MGM and Warner Bros, the 'Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection ,' will include all six Rocky films from the original 1976 Rocky to the sixth installment released three decades later. As a seven-disc box set, there will be both the theatrical and extended director's cut of Rocky IV ('Rocky V. Drago: The Ultimate Director's Cut') as well as the theatrical and unrated director's cut of Rocky Balboa , featuring 14 minutes of extra recording.

Although it's been decades since the Rocky franchise came about, fans still remain enamored with the titular character, who has since become a cultural sensation. The franchise began with the original film in 1976, written by Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen , and is followed by the sequels Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990), and Rocky Balboa (2006). Besides writing, Stallone directed four of the five sequels, with Avildsen handling the fifth installment, while Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer distributed all six movies.

Avid collectors are aware that the first four Rocky films debuted on 4K in 2023 , as the four-movie 'Rocky: Knockout Collection' and separate steelbooks, whereas Rocky V and Rocky Balboa, were excluded with no explanation from Warner Bros . The collection includes the four films in an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with each feature film in 4K with HDR alongside a Digital version. It was made available for purchase from February 28, 2023; meanwhile, come July 16, the new 'Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection' will be available in 4K UHD.

The Future of the 'Rocky' Franchise

As fans count down to getting the upcoming 'Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection,' there's no fun lost in keeping busy with the four-movie Knockout set or the Rocky spin-off film series, Creed , that was released in 4K Ultra HD last year. Creed (2015), Creed II (2018) and Creed III (2023) follow the epic Rocky franchise and stars Michael B. Jordan as boxer Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Rocky's late best friend Apollo, while Stallone portrays his trainer in the first two installments. The entire franchise, which focuses on the boxing careers of Rocky Balboa and his charge Adonis, has garnered outstanding repute with Rocky , Rocky III , and Creed getting Oscar nominations, while Rocky Balboa is considered one of the most prominent fictional characters.

The 'Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection' 4K will be available on July 16. You can pre-order it here .

A small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.