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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).

Contents 1 Film summaries 1.1 Rocky 1.2 Rocky II 1.3 Rocky III 1.4 Rocky IV 1.5 Rocky V 1.6 Rocky Balboa 2 Notes 3 U.S. box office

Main article: Rocky

Rocky Balboa is a small-time boxer who seems to be going nowhere in life. Ignored by his trainer, Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) Rocky fights in sleazy clubs and works as a collector for a local loan shark. At the same time, Rocky unsuccessfully courts Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire), a painfully shy girl, and pals around with her alcoholic brother, Paulie (Burt Young). But when the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), chooses Rocky at random as his opponent in an upcoming title fight, Rocky realizes he now has the chance to prove he is not worthless. With Adrian at his side and Mickey as his new manager, Rocky fights for the title and more importantly, for his own self-respect.

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. Apollo 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.

Main article: Rocky III

Three years have passed since Rocky beat Apollo Creed, and the champ is living well and has become a true idol all over the world. But right after making ten successful title defenses, a new contender, James "Clubber" Lang (Mr. T) is climbing the ranks and starts calling for Balboa to challenge him in the ring. During the match, Lang clobbers Rocky, who simultaneously loses the title and Mickey (through a heart attack). Humiliated, Rocky feels he has lost his edge and considers hanging up his gloves for good. That is, until he gets encouragement from his former nemesis Apollo Creed to go for a rematch. Creed then starts training Balboa to regain what he calls the "eye of the tiger," as they prepare to win the title back together in the greatest challenge of all.

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.

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 nicknamed Tommy as Balboa's clone or robot, Tommy betrays Rocky and challenges him to a final fight to determine who's the real champ.

Main article: Rocky Balboa (film)

Several 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.

• 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 5 different actors: 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 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 fought his former student-turned-traitor in a street fight.
• 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) - VI (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 (fight 1); vs Clubber Lang (fight 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 (streetfight).
  • 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).

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.

v • d • e Rocky series
Films	Rocky · Rocky II · Rocky III · Rocky IV · Rocky V · Rocky Balboa
Characters	Rocky Balboa · Mickey Goldmill · Apollo Creed · Clubber Lang · Ivan Drago · Tommy Gunn · Mason Dixon
Video games	Rocky · Rocky Legends
Related articles	Rocky music · Rocky Steps
Related articles (Boxing)	The distance · The "Real" Rocky · Southpaw · World Heavyweight Championship