Will There Be Any More New Movies in the Rocky Franchise?
The Rocky films began with the 1976 effort simply titled Rocky. Written by Sylvester Stallone in just three days, it led to one of the most successful film series in history. To date, there are nine movies for us to enjoy - but what next?
Rocky’s Impact on Films and Popular Culture
The 1976 film might seem a little clichéd and predictable with hindsight, but it was an immediate hit with audiences and has gone on to become regarded as a cinema classic. The Directors Guild of America named it Best Movie in 1976, and it has since figured high on many lists of the top films of all time. The famous training scene where Stallone runs up the steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art has become one of the most recognisable and widely parodied in cinema history, with a Rocky statue now erected there.
The film’s success has led to books, documentaries, and even Rocky the Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2014 with Andy Karl playing Rocky and featuring 20 original songs. The ongoing appeal of the movies and their sequels has led to Rocky entering other areas of entertainment, like the slots at Paddy Power. Mega Fire Blaze: Rocky is listed among the gambling games at Paddy's. It’s based on the traditional slot gameplay where you try to get winning lines, but in this case, the symbols include Clubber Lang, Apollo Creed, Ivan Drago and Adriana. Rocky himself is the wild, while the Fire Blaze bonus round sees only the boxers appear on the reels.
The Rocky Epilogue and the Creed Series
The Rocky franchise has split into two branches in recent years. 2006's Rocky Balboa was the final film in the series of six, as Stallone's age makes further Rocky movies less feasible. However, Stallone has hinted at another Rocky film where the retired fighter befriends an illegal immigrant. Envisaged as an epilogue to the main series, its development appears to have stalled, so it’s unclear if it will ever see the light of day.
2015’s Creed gave the franchise a new lease of life by focusing on Adonis Creed, the son of his one-time rival Apollo. This was followed by Creed II in 2018 and Creed III in 2023. Creed IV is currently in development, with Michael B. Jordan back as Adonis. According to this report from Screenrant, series producer Irwin Winkler thinks they have a strong story, but few details have been revealed.
The Upcoming Drago Film
Dolph Lundgren confirmed a potentially interesting new development in 2021. There are plans to create a film based on the memorable Ivan Drago character he played in Rocky IV. As reported by IGN, Lundgren has stated that it will focus on the Russian boxer’s backstory and his arrival in the US. Although the Creed series has been given a higher priority currently, the Drago film could appear soon.
Rocky’s incredible success story seems set to continue thanks to the sequels and spin-offs currently being worked on. There appears to be no reason to believe that the franchise will run out of inspiring stories anytime soon.
