If you want to get excited, motivated, or just yell at your screen, there is no better franchise than the Rocky series. The franchise began in 1976 with the first Rocky film, and it still continues today, as the spinoff Creed series. With that being said, you might be gearing up to watch the newest entry, Creed III, and want to revisit the prior films, or you might be someone who wants to experience them all for the first time – lucky you!
If you do not have a box set of the films on DVD or Blu-ray it can be hard to nail down the right order in which to watch them all. So, let’s take a look at all of the Rocky movies in order, and tell you exactly where you can go to watch them.
Rocky
The one that started it all, Rocky was released in 1976, and it was directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Sylvester Stallone. Stallone plays the titular Rocky Balboa, a poor boxer who fights at the local level and who also collects as a debt collector for the Mafia. The underdog is given a chance to fight the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), one that he can’t pass up.
Along the way, he romances a woman named Adrian (Talia Shire) who works at a pet shop, and the sister of his friend Paulie (Burt Young). Rocky follows a rigorous training regimen so he can hold his own and maybe even beat the cocky Apollo in the fight. Rocky was made for just under a million dollars and it made $225 million at the box office. It won Best Picture at the 49th Academy Awards. You can stream the original film on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. It is also available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Rocky II
The second film in the series is Rocky II, which was released in 1979 and both written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. This is a direct sequel to the first film, taking place right after the final fight between Creed and Balboa. Instead of the movie focusing on Rocky training for a rematch against Creed, Rocky retires and attempts to make a living some other way. He doesn’t want to fight because he injured his eye in the fight and another bad hit could lead to permanent blindness.
He also marries Adrian in Rocky II and the pair have a child, Robert “Rocky Jr.” Balboa. Apollo Creed’s ego is fractured after the last fight so he prepares for a rematch with Rocky, one that he initially declines, but ultimately accepts. You can stream Rocky II on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. It is also available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Rocky III
Rocky III is the third film in the franchise, and it was also both written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. Released in 1982, the film is the first one not to feature Apollo Creed as Rocky’s adversary but as his friend and trainer. Instead, the film features Mr. T as James “Clubber” Lang, a ruthless fighter who is after Rocky’s title five years after the events of the second movie.
Rocky’s original trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) dies in this entry, forcing Apollo to pick up the mourning Rocky to fight Lang. The film ends with yet another rematch between Apollo and Balboa, in a private bout. Although the winner would not be revealed until much later until Creed. Like the first two films, Rocky III is also available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. You can also rent or buy the film on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Rocky IV
The fourth entry in the franchise is 1985’s Rocky IV, which was also written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. A few years after the last film, a Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) comes to America looking for a fight. The proud American that he is, Apollo Creed agrees to go up against him in the ring, with the same cocky attitude that he had when he first faced Rocky. The fight starts and Drago is clearly too much for the Former Heavyweight Champion of the World.
As his trainer, Rocky is about to throw in the towel, but Apollo tells him not to. Apollo dies in the ring. Fueled by the need to avenge his friend, Rocky travels to the Soviet Union to defeat Drago, but Adrian doesn’t approve because of what happened to Apollo. Duke (Tony Burton) trains him, and Adrian eventually arrives for the final showdown between Rocky and Drago. Like the first few films, Rocky IV is available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. It is also available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Rocky V
Widely regarded as the worst entry of the franchise, Rocky V was released in 1990, and like the original film, it was written by Sylvester Stallone but directed by John G. Avildsen. The movie followed the events of Rocky IV, with Rocky’s fight with Drago forcing him into retirement because of a brain injury. Instead of fighting, Rocky — who is now broke because of Paulie — sets up as a trainer in Mighty Mick’s Gym, and trains a new boxer, Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison).
Unfortunately, his new passion for training takes up his time, and he neglects his son Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone). After a rival manager named George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) coaxes Gunn into fighting his fighter, Union Cane (Michael Williams), he abandons Rocky thinking that George will do more for his career. The film ends with a street fight between Rocky and Tommy Gunn, in one of the weirdest choices of the series. Like the prior films, you can stream Rocky V on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. It is also available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Rocky Balboa
The sixth movie in the franchise is Rocky Balboa and it was released in 2006. The film was written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. Rocky Balboa features an older now-retired Rocky who is running an Italian restaurant after the death of his wife. ESPN broadcasts a simulation between the younger Rocky and the current champion Mason “The Line” Dixon (Antonio Tarver), one that ends with Balboa winning. This fuels Balboa to take up boxing again.
A large theme in this movie is family, as Rocky mourns Adrian’s death, puts up with Paulie’s attitude, and reconciles with his son Robert Balboa Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia). He trains with Duke once again and fights Dixon in a charity bout, stepping into the ring one last time. You can stream Rocky Balboa on Amazon Prime Video, FuboTV, and Paramount Plus. You can also rent or buy the movie on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Creed
The film that reinvigorated the franchise is Creed, which was directed by Ryan Coogler and released in 2015. Instead of following the career of Rocky Balboa, this film follows the son of Apollo Creed, Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan). At a young age, Creed’s wife Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) took him in after spending some time in a youth detention center. Now grown up, Donnie fights without Mary Anne’s approval, and he moves to Philadelphia to try and get his father’s old friend, Rocky, to train him.
Eventually, Rocky agrees to train him as he fights a few different boxers, culminating in a fight with “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew). While training, Donnie meets a musician named Bianca (Tessa Thompson), and the two strike up a relationship. Rocky also receives a cancer diagnosis during training, and at first, he refuses to fight it. Using the mental fortitude that Rocky taught him, Donnie convinces him to fight against his cancer as he trains. Creed is available to stream on HBO Max, and it is available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Creed II
The eighth movie in the franchise is Creed II, which was directed by Steven Caple Jr. and released in 2018. It is set three years after the last film, and it starts off with Donnie winning the World Heavyweight Championship. He also proposes to Bianca, and they soon realize that she is pregnant. But their celebrations don’t last long because the now disgraced Ivan Drago returns to the U.S. with his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). To avenge his father, and prove himself, Donnie fights Viktor even though Rocky doesn’t want him to.
Donnie is destroyed by Viktor in their first fight, ending up in the hospital because of his wounds. But, Viktor did not win the match because he was disqualified for hitting Donnie while he was down. Donnie eventually trains with Rocky for the rematch, and Bianca gives birth to their daughter, Amara. It is revealed that Ivan is putting the pressure of both his country’s and mother’s approval on Viktor, pushing him to the edge. You can stream Creed II on HBO Max, and it is also available to buy or rent on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Creed III
Creed III is the ninth movie in the franchise, which was directed by Michael B. Jordan. The film sees Donnie at the height of his career, now confronted by his childhood friend Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who feels like he deserves a shot at what Donnie has. You can catch Creed III in theaters starting March 3, 2023.
So, that is how you can watch every movie in the Rocky franchise, including the spinoff Creed films. It’s unclear if Creed III will be the last film in the series, but if it is not we assure you that we will update this list with the next entry. For now, load up your popcorn and have a great time.
Published: Mar 2, 2023 12:57 am