It seems almost hard to believe, but the Rocky movie franchise has been chugging along for nearly 50 years now. Starting with the original "Rocky" in 1976, the series is now nine movies strong, with one due out this week [1] and multiple other projects reportedly in development.
The series started with the classic sports underdog story of Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone), a working-class boxer from Philadelphia who goes up against a heavyweight champion in a match that no one thinks he can possibly win. Since then, there have been a total of six Rocky movies, with the most recent being "Rocky Balboa" in 2006. In 2015, a spinoff launched with "Creed [2]," starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, son of the legacy Rocky character Apollo Creed. This moved the franchise into the modern day.
"Creed III [3]" is set to hit theaters on March 3, so it's the perfect time to look back at its predecessors. If you're thinking of marathoning the classic movies along with the new film, here's a complete list of all the Rocky franchise movies so far, in chronological order.
Rocky Movies in Order and Creed Movies in Order
- "Rocky"
- "Rocky II"
- "Rocky III"
- "Rocky IV"
- "Rocky V"
- "Rocky Balboa"
- "Creed"
- "Creed II"
- "Creed III"
"Rocky" (1976)
The original film — and the source of all those famous quotes — "Rocky" kicked off a franchise and quickly became iconic. In 1970s Philadelphia, Rocky Balboa is a poor, working-class boxer and a debt collector for the mafia. When he unexpectedly gets the chance to go up against Apollo Creed, the world heavyweight champion, he pours all his effort into preparing for the fight. Winning could change his life, but even fighting comes at a huge risk — and nearly everyone else believes he will lose.
"Rocky II" (1979)
The sequel picks up almost immediately where "Rocky" left off, with Creed and Rocky agreeing not to bother with a rematch. Rocky decides to retire from the ring, but Creed soon becomes obsessed with proving Rocky's success was just a fluke. He embarks on a public smear campaign to goad Rocky into another fight, and Rocky, still nursing his injuries and struggling with his new financial success, finally agrees.
"Rocky III" (1982)
Five years after "Rocky II," Rocky Balboa is a successful, long-running heavyweight champion. He's then challenged by an arrogant up-and-comer, Lang, who insists Rocky's run of wins has been rigged. Rocky will need help from old friends — and even old enemies — to get into true fighting shape and prove, once and for all, that he's the champion he's always believed he could be.
"Rocky IV" (1985)
When Soviet fighter Ivan Drago coldly kills one of Rocky's closest friends in the boxing ring, Rocky demands to fight him for revenge. The two men use very different training methods to prepare for an unsanctioned Christmas Day match in the Soviet Union. As the fight nears, the tension between two boxers becomes symbolic of the Cold War-era tensions between their countries.
"Rocky V" (1990)
This time around, Rocky isn't the one in the ring — well, most of the time. Still dealing with the aftermath of injuries sustained in his match with Drago, he also discovers his family has been swindled by his accountant. Instead of fighting again, he retires from boxing and reopens the training gym, where he mentors Tommy Gunn, a new young talent who he believes could be a champion.
"Rocky Balboa" (2006)
The final Rocky-centric movie (so far), "Rocky Balboa" catches up with Rocky at age 60, now a widower and a restaurant owner. Mason Dixon, a temperamental and unpopular current boxing champion, looks for a new opponent who can truly test his mettle. Rocky eventually agrees to an exhibition fight that is as much a chance for a younger man to prove himself as it is for Rocky to certify, one more time, that he's still got what it takes.
"Creed" (2015)
The first movie in the Creed series follows Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Rocky's late enemy-turned-friend Apollo Creed. Donnie resigns from his job in finance to pursue a professional boxing career but struggles to build his skills and get out from under the shadow (and tragedy) of his late father. To prepare for his upcoming fights, he turns to the one man he knows he can trust: Rocky Balboa.
"Creed II" (2018)
Three years later, Donnie is a successful boxer and an international star, riding high on a string of wins, getting engaged, and becoming a father. His streak of luck ends when Ivan Drago, still bitter over his decades-ago fight with Rocky, insists on pitting his own son, Viktor, against Donnie. Both Viktor and Donnie are forced to face their families' legacies, all while trying to make their own mark in the boxing world.
"Creed III" (2023)
Jordan not only reprises his role as Donnie Creed but also makes his directorial debut with this threequel. Donnie is doing well when we catch up with him, thriving both personally and professionally. Then, his childhood friend — and a onetime boxing prodigy — Damian "Dame" Anderson comes back into his life after serving a prison sentence. Dame wants to prove that he belongs in the ring, too, and Donnie agrees to fight him in a high-stakes match.