Rocky (franchise)

Rocky is a boxing saga of popular films all written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, who plays the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa. The films are, by order of release date: Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990) and Rocky Balboa (2006).

Film summaries

Rocky

Rocky II

Main article: Rocky II

After proving himself in the loss to Apollo Creed, Rocky expects the good life to follow. He marries Adrian and begins spending the money he earned from the match. But soon after the money is gone, Rocky realizes the only way he can survive is to begin boxing again. Creed, on the other hand, faces criticism from fans over the outcome of the fight. As a result, he offers Rocky another fight. Rocky trains once again with Mickey, this time for the biggest rematch of the century. Rocky beats Apollo, becoming the champ. IMDB RATING: 6.5/10 ROTTEN TOMATOES: 65%

Rocky III

Main article: Rocky III

After winning the heavyweight title, Rocky takes advantage of his newfound wealth and fame, appearing in multiple advertisements & television programs, and relishing his new celebrity. After defending the title multiple times, he is prepared to retire, but the #1 contender, Clubber Lang, challenges Rocky publicly. Rocky, after dealing with Mickey's heart attack prior to the fight, is overpowered by the stronger, hungrier Lang and is KO'd in the second round. Mickey passes away after the fight, and old rival Apollo Creed steps in, training Rocky to fight more in Creed's old style (and in his old Los Angeles gym) and use more guile and skill. In the rematch, Rocky outboxes Lang, tiring the stronger fighter out and eventually knocking him out in the third round. After the fight, Rocky owes Apollo a "favor", which is a one-on-one match between the two of them with no cameras, no media, just man vs. man in the gym. IMDB RATING: 6/10 ROTTEN TOMATOES: 67%

Rocky IV

File:Rocky iv poster.jpg

Main article: Rocky IV

Right after winning back the title from Clubber Lang, Rocky decides to spend some time with his family. But a new superfighter from the USSR, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) has emerged, and he fights Apollo Creed in an exhibition match. Rocky watches in horror as Drago brutally mauls Apollo to death. Now ready to challenge Drago himself, he starts training in the icy snow of Siberia and prepares for the ultimate challenge: to not only avenge Apollo's death, but show the real strength, courage, and faith that his country believes in. IMDB RATING: 5.7/10 ROTTEN TOMATOES: 45%

Rocky V

Main article: Rocky V

After the fight with Drago, Rocky Balboa suffers brain damage and is forced to retire from the ring. As if that isn't bad enough, the Balboa fortune is all gone due to an unscrupulous accountant. Rocky's family returns back to their old neighborhood and resumes life like before. Rocky then reopens Mickey's old gym, just to rekindle the spirit of his beloved trainer and his boxing career as a trainer. Upon one of the boxers who was a fan to Balboa, and believe he could make him a winner, Rocky takes in and starts training Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) to become the new heavyweight champion. But soon after publicity nicknames Tommy as Balboa's clone or robot, Tommy betrays Rocky and challenges him to a final fight to determine who's the real champ. (Tommy was working for his evil boss, George W. Duke, and Duke is just Rocky's archrival.) IMDB RATING: 4.2/10 ROTTEN TOMATOES: 21%

Rocky Balboa

In Rocky Balboa sixteen years have passed since his final fight with his former protege, Tommy Gunn. Long retired Rocky Balboa still staggers around an ever changing world; his son is grown and distant, Paulie is working back at the meat plant, and his wife Adrian has died. Rocky has opened a restaurant, named after his wife, which he stocks with mementos of his prime as he tells his old fight stories to the customers. But when a computer simulated fight on ESPN depicting a bout between a young Rocky Balboa and the current champion, Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) reignites interest in the faded boxer, Rocky discovers he has not lost his fighting spirit and considers an opportunity to prove himself in the ring one last time. IMDB RATING: 7.5/10 ROTTEN TOMATOES: 75%

Notes

• The only actors/characters to appear in all six movies are Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Burt Young (Paulie), and Tony Burton (Tony "Duke" Evers). Stu Nahan also appears in all six movies, as a fight commentator.
• Rocky's son appears in every movie except the first one and is played by a different actor for every movie: (in order of the movies) Seargeoh Stallone, Ian Fried, Rocky Krakoff, Sage Stallone and Milo Ventimiglia.
• All of Rocky's opponents were undefeated before he faced them in the climax. Only Mason Dixon's record was not broken in the climatic fight (from the final movie). Rocky avenged losses to Apollo Creed, who won in Rocky by a split decision and lost in Rocky II by knockout; and James "Clubber" Lang, in Rocky III, who initially beat Rocky, but was then defeated in the climax.
• The only Rocky movie in which Rocky does not fight in a boxing match in the climax is V, in which he takes on his former student-turned-traitor in a street fight.
• Rocky Balboa is the only film (aside from the first) which does not have an opening scene depicting the climax of the previous film.
• The only films that Stallone did not direct were the original and Rocky V, which were both directed by John G. Avildsen.
• The time passing between each film's release was longer than the previous one.
  • Rocky (winter 1976) - II (summer 1979) = 2 1⁄2 yrs
  • II (summer 1979) - III (summer 1982) = 3 yrs
  • III (summer 1982) - IV (winter 1985) = 3 1⁄2 yrs
  • IV (winter 1985) - V (winter 1990) = 5 yrs
  • V (winter 1990) - Rocky Balboa (winter 2006) = 16 yrs
• Rocky II is the only movie in the series that doesn't show at least 2 fights of some sorts.
  • Rocky: vs Spider Rico; vs Apollo Creed (fight 1).
  • Rocky II: vs Apollo Creed (fight 2).
  • Rocky III: Rocky's 10 title defenses, Clubber's fights, Rocky vs Thunderlips, vs Clubber Lang (fights 1 & 2).
  • Rocky IV: Apollo Creed vs Ivan Drago; Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago.
  • Rocky V: Tommy's fights, Tommy Gunn vs Union Cane, & Rocky Balboa vs Tommy Gunn (street fight).
  • Rocky Balboa: Mason Dixon vs Contender ("Yahya" Title Defense - opening scene); Rocky Balboa vs Mason Dixon (computer simulation); Rocky Balboa vs Mason Dixon (true fight).
• Much of Stallone's real-life family appeared in the Rocky movies.
  • His father Frank Stallone Sr. played the timekeeper in Rocky.
  • His brother Frank Stallone Jr. played a singer in Rocky I-III.
  • Rocky's son was played by his real life Seargeoh Stallone in Rocky II, and his other real life son Sage Stallone in Rocky V.
  • His first wife Sasha Czak appeared as a fan in Rocky III.
  • His second wife Brigitte Nielsen played Drago's wife in Rocky IV.
  • His third wife Jennifer Flavin appeared in Rocky V.
  • Butkus was Stallone's dog in real life. He is credited as "Butkus Stallone" in the credits.

U.S. box office

1. Rocky: US$117.2 million
2. Rocky II: US$85.2 million
3. Rocky III: US$125 million
4. Rocky IV: US$127.9 million
5. Rocky V: US$40.9 million
6. Rocky Balboa: US$70.3 million

The highest grossing at US$300.4 million was the fourth (the highest grossing sports film at the time), but the most profitable was the first, with a budget of US$1.2 million and a box office take of over 117 million.