The Rocky franchise has been entertaining and inspiring movie fans ever since the original film premiered all the way back in 1976. There, audiences everywhere were introduced to Rocky Balboa - an aspiring professional boxer with a heart of gold played to perfection by then-breakout star Sylvester Stallone. The story of Rocky's humble beginnings and his quest to become a respected athlete clearly resonated with audiences and critics alike, going on to receive a whopping ten Academy Award nominations, going on to win three with Best Film Editing, Best Director, and even the coveted Best Picture.
With the first film's massive success, the seeds of a blossoming franchise were sowed. The film would go on to spawn a total of four direct sequels, a soft reboot, and most recently a passing-of-the-torch style continuation with the acclaimed Creed films. The latest iteration of the franchise saw Rocky coach Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) - the son of his late rival-turned-friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The franchise is still going strong today with the release of Creed III (2023), which marks a major turning point in the series as it will be the first entry not to feature Stallone as Rocky Balboa. It's an understandable fear, but given reviews of the film, the third Creed movie is a more than worthy entry in the franchise, with Collider's own Ross Bonaime praising Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut by saying it "breathes new life into this nearly half-century old franchise".
The incredible Creed films continue to usher in new generations of fans who are discovering the Rocky saga for the first time. Understandably, many are interested in watching the numerous prior films before seeing Creed III, be it to revisit the beloved franchise or discover the story so far for the very first time. Following the timeline of the Rocky franchise is fairly simple, but in case you're looking for a comprehensive guide to how to watch every film in the series, here's how to do just that.
Rocky Movies in Order of Release Date
Rocky - December 3rd, 1976
Rocky II - June 15th, 1979
Rocky III - May 28th, 1982
Rocky IV - November 27th, 1985
Rocky V - November 16th, 1990
Rocky Balboa - December 20th, 2006
Creed - November 25th, 2015
Creed II - November 21st, 2018
Creed III - March 3rd, 2023
Rocky Movies in Chronological Order
Rocky (1976)
Director: John G. Avildsen | Runtime: 120 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith
The film that started it all and went on to win three Oscars and raked in over a hundred million dollars in profit at the box office, the original Rocky (1976) is an excellent example of a simple premise with excellent execution. Sylvester Stallone not only stars as the iconic boxing protagonist, but he also wrote the screenplay, a plot that has inspired nearly every sports film ever made. When we first meet Rocky Balboa, he's struggling to barely win low-level boxing bouts, while working as a debt collector for a shady loan shark just so he can pay the bills. Rocky's worst enemy is himself, as he doubts he's good enough to become a major contender in the sport. His confidence continues to sway when he's arbitrarily chosen to survive fifteen rounds with one of the biggest names in boxing, Apollo Creed. It's a tough road, but through the help of his shy yet supporting girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire), his obnoxious but supportive best friend Paulie (Burt Young), and his curmudgeonly coach Mickey (Burgess Meredith), Rocky is able to beat the odds and become a national symbol of true grit and raw determination.
Rocky II (1979)
Director: Sylvester Stallone | Runtime: 119 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith
As if starring in and writing one of the biggest and most influential movies of the 1970s wasn't enough, Stallone then decided to take to the director's chair for the film's inevitable sequel, Rocky II (1979). Plot-wise, the film picks up right where the first movie left off, with Rocky mentally and physically exhausted after going fifteen rounds with Apollo Creed. Though Rocky technically didn't win a proper match against Apollo, he's still become something of a celebrity in his hometown of Philadelphia and is now the talk of the boxing world. This has greatly irritated Apollo Creed, who now feels like he was humiliated in what was supposed to be an easy match-up and demands a rematch with Rocky. Now, Rocky is faced with a major life decision. He can retire from boxing and spend the rest of his life with his new wife Adrian, or he can get into the ring again and show Apollo who's the better boxer once and for all.
Rocky III (1982)
Director: Sylvester Stallone | Runtime: 99 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Bert Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, and Mr. T
Rocky Balboa's life just seems to keep getting better and better, and that's abundantly clear at the start of Rocky III (1982). Now that he's bested the legendary Apollo Creed, Rocky has decided to live a more comfortable boxing lifestyle by taking on opponents that aren't nearly as formidable as Creed. That's until Clubber Lang (Mr. T) enters his life, and after one fight in the ring, it's clear that Lang is not just some wannabe boxer. Desperate to protect his career and continue providing for his family, Rocky turns to none other than Apollo Creed, and the two finally go from bitter rivals to respected friends.
Rocky IV (1985)
Director: Sylvester Stallone | Runtime: 91 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Dolph Lundgren
The United States was still feeling the full effects of the Cold War in the mid-1980s, so it makes sense that the fourth installment in the series, Rocky IV (1985), would want to take advantage of that. The villain stepping into the ring this time around is Russian behemoth Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who proves to be Rocky's deadliest opponent yet. That's because, in a shocking turn of events, Drago kills Apollo Creed in the ring, leading Rocky and the rest of Apollo's friends and family to seek justice. Ultimately Rocky achieves his goal of honoring his friend by dealing justice in the only way he knows how - boxing.
Rocky V (1990)
Director: John G. Avildsen | Runtime: 104 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Sage Stallone, and Tommy Morrison
Stallone stepped out of the director's chair to welcome back original Rocky director John G. Avildsen in preparation for Rocky V (1990), which is interesting given that the character of Rocky also steps back in a way. Following his grueling and personal match with Drago, Rocky Balboa is now getting very serious about retiring, just wanting to continue having a relationship with his wife and son. He doesn't leave the boxing world outright however as he does take over leadership of Mickey's gym following the trainer's passing in Rocky III, and that's when he meets Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) - a promising young boxer who Rocky decides to train. That all goes south when Tommy is corrupted by the allure of fame and fortune and Rocky goes from Tommy's mentor into an opponent.
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Director: Sylvester Stallone | Runtime: 102 minutes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Tarver, Milo Ventimiglia, and Burt Young.
Fifteen years after Rocky V, Stallone returned to the series as writer, director, and star for what would ultimately be Rocky Balboa's last time fighting in the boxing ring in the sixth installment, Rocky Balboa (2006). For the past decade, Rocky has been retired, overall content but still reeling from the passing of his beloved wife, Adrian. This has also led to an estranged relationship with his son, Rocky Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia), but that ends up being only one of Rocky's current problems. After a virtual simulation shows Rocky beating a modern boxing favorite, Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver), the young and fierce boxer challenges Rocky to a match. To the surprise of virtually all of Rocky's friends and family, the "Italian Stallion" accepts.
Creed (2015)
Director: Ryan Coogler | Runtime: 133 minutes
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Tony Bellew
Though Rocky Balboa marked the last time that Rocky would enter the ring as a fighter, Creed proved that there was still more to Rocky's story. However, this time it's in service to a new protagonist of Adonis Creed - the illegitimate son of the late Apollo Creed who is now being raised by Apollo's widow, Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad). Even though Adonis acquired a very good white-collar job, the drive to be a professional boxer proves genetic and Adonis seeks out his dad's friend, Rocky. Quickly making a name for himself and securing a high-profile matchup with the hot-headed 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew), Adonis also finds a lifelong romantic partner, a dedicated mentor, and a newfound love and respect for the sport of boxing.
Creed II (2018)
Director: Steven Caple Jr. | Runtime: 130 minutes
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren, and Florian Munteanu
Even though Adonis didn't win his match with Conlan, he still easily made a name for himself as a respected boxer, worthy of his father's legacy. Things appear to be looking up for the new face of the franchise as he continues to rise through the boxing ranks and also marries his true love, Bianca (Tessa Thompson). However, his success does not go unnoticed, and Adonis soon catches the attention of a notorious old Rocky villain, Ivan Drago - the man responsible for Apollo Creed's death. Like Rocky, Drago's boxing days are long over, but his brutal training of his son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu), has created an opponent who just might be a match for Adonis Creed.
Creed III (2023)
Director: Michael B. Jordan | Runtime: 116 minutes
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Jonathan Majors
Things have finally come full circle in the Rocky saga with Creed III - a historic entry for a number of reasons. Not only is this the first and only film to not feature Stallone, but it also sees the current franchise star get behind the camera with Michael B. Jordan making his directorial debut. This next fight for Adonis to defend his title may very well prove to be his most personal yet. Now on top of the boxing world and a loving father to a young daughter, his life is changed forever when he's reunited with his childhood friend Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who now is the latest opponent who threatens to send Adonis's perfect world crumbling down.
Creed III arrives exclusively in theaters on Friday, March 3rd, 2023.