What was the most successful Rocky?
Rocky III grossed $270 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessors to become the then-highest grossing film in the franchise, and the fourth highest grossing film of 1982.
Rocky, American boxing film, released in 1976, that was the highest-grossing movie of that year, earning more than $117 million at the box office. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won three, including best picture, and made its writer and lead actor, Sylvester Stallone, a star.
Despite its reception, the film was a box office success, grossing $300 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing film in the franchise and the third highest grossing film of 1985, and the critical reception became more favorable in the years later, with the praise for the training montage.
Rocky V was rock bottom
It probably comes as no surprise that the worst-grossing film in the history of the "Rocky" franchise is none other than "Rocky V," which was released in 1990.
'Rocky IV' has a tantalising and incredible story line. It climaxes with an intense bout between Rocky and Ivan Drago, who tragically kills Apollo Creed in their previous fight. Rocky proceeds to avenge Apollo's death by challenging him to a match.
But Rocky begins to stir as the referee continues his countdown to 10 – and defeat. As the crowd and the music reach a fever pitch, Balboa staggers to his feet and wins the heavyweight championship. Victory is Rocky's!
Because Rocky's life is so different in this film from the first two films, Sylvester Stallone wanted this film to look different from the first two, so as to reflect the changes in the character's life.
Rocky IV (1985) - Rocky IV also fudges the timeline by making it seem like it starts right after Rocky III but the movie then jumps forward to 1985 when Ivan Drago arrives in the U.S. Apollo was killed by Drago and Rocky defeated the Russian in a fight held in Moscow on Christmas 1985 when Rocky was 38 or 39.
1500 times Sylvester Stallone was rejected when he tried selling his script and himself as what would become the film “Rocky” [account by Tony Robbins, Stallone's personal friend]. 5126 times James Dyson created failed prototypes of his vacuum cleaner before succeeding.
Does Rocky lose in Rocky 1?
The first film ends with Rocky losing, by judges' decision, his fight against the heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers)—but winning a more personal victory by “going the distance,” making it through an entire fifteen rounds in the ring as no previous challenger had.
Montage and Propaganda Are Powerful. The Rocky films had a huge impact on making the modern movie montage. The first film set the tone with an iconic training montage that went on to be replicated in countless films, including nearly every sports film made since. Rocky went on to win an Oscar for Best Film Editing.

ROCKY V STORY SYNOPSIS. Ivan Drago plows into him and Rocky delivers blow after blow, finally knocking the superhuman brute to the mat. Rocky is declared champion once again.
In November 2021, while promoting his new director's cut of the movie, Stallone stated that he ended up in the ICU after Lundgren punched him in the chest during their climactic fight scene. Or at least, that's how he tells it.
After returning home, Rocky and Adrian discover they are bankrupt after Paulie was fooled into signing a "power of attorney" over to Rocky's accountant, who squandered all of his money on real estate deals gone sour and failed to pay Rocky's taxes over the previous six years.
A misstep in the franchise, this entry sees Rocky lose all of his money due to poor investments and retire from boxing because of brain damage suffered at the hands of Drago in Rocky IV.
Despite working well and achieving popularity as a legacy sequel/spin-off, the Creed movies simply aren't as good for the franchise as Rocky's. Despite Stallone's character no longer being the face (or name) of the franchise, the Rocky movies are much better for the iconic series of boxing movies than Creed's.
Winner — Rocky IV
There is no denying Rocky III's beach running scene as one of the franchise's best, but it pales in comparison to the epic Rocky IV montage.
1. Rocky Vs Clubber Lang, Rematch (Rocky III, 1982)
Rocky IV Is The Least Realistic Rocky Movie
Exactly what makes Rocky IV unrealistic is in the details, as on the surface, its story is not dissimilar to previous entries into the franchise. Every Rocky movie is built around an underdog story and forces its protagonist to overcome the odds.
Who was better Rocky or Apollo?
After their two professional bouts, Apollo training Rocky prior to his death proves that he was the best fighter. At first, Apollo is an undefeated and arrogant champion, but after his bouts with Rocky, his demeanor changed.
His self-confidence and self-respect are gone in the wake of the loss and the loss of Mickey. At one point he rides his motorcycle to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the statue of himself. Angered that he can't match the glory it represents, he throws his helmet at it and rides off.
Rocky finally defeats Drago by KO in the dying seconds of the 15th and final round.
This is corroborated by Rocky's age in the film. In the original Rocky, he is 30 (meaning he was born in 1945). In Rocky II, he turned 31. If Rocky III takes place three years after Rocky II, Rocky should be 34, which is exactly what age he is (as pointed out on TV).
Rocky III at 40: Sylvester Stallone and the American Machine - Paste.
The second type dominated the next decade in ever-more garish and cynical vehicles, none dumber than Rocky IV, which pitted The Italian Stallion against Ivan Drago, a dead-eyed, machine-tooled robot of the Soviet empire.
Born on May 5, 1976, Sage Moonblood Stallone is the eldest of Sylvester Stallone's four children and portrayed Rocky Balboa's son in the fifth sequel.
Arrival in America
In 1985, undefeated amateur Russian world boxing champion, 24-year-old Ivan arrived in the United States along with Ludmilla Drago (Ivan's wife), Nicolai Koloff (Ivan's political adviser) and Sergei Igor Rimsky and Manuel Vega (Ivan's trainers).
Stallone earned a $75,000 payday with Rocky II, which increased to another $120,000 for Rocky III (via Variety). By the time he starred in Rocky V, his salary ballooned to $15 million (via Cheatsheet).
How much money did Rocky 5 make?
Sylvester Stallone was paid an initial salary of $35,000 for his work acting and writing the first Rocky movie. However, considering his contract guaranteed him 10 points on the back end, he ended up earning around $2.5 million due to the film's massive success.
Avildsen turned it down because he wasn't interested in boxing, but upon reading the script, he was sold when on page three Rocky was having a conversation with his turtles.
For "Rhinestone" in 1984, he received $4 million in revenue and his second Producer credit. He received $12 million the next year and another Producer credit for Rocky IV. His additional $12 million from "Over the Top" was earned. He received $16 million for Rambo III.
In the first movie, Rocky is a 30-year-old club boxer from Philadelphia who works as a debt collector for a loan shark. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed has an opponent drop out of a fight with a broken hand and can't find a replacement, he decides to give a local underdog an opportunity at the title.
1500 times Sylvester Stallone was rejected when he tried selling his script and himself as what would become the film “Rocky” [account by Tony Robbins, Stallone's personal friend]. 5126 times James Dyson created failed prototypes of his vacuum cleaner before succeeding.
Sylvester Stallone
It was ranked as the 10th highest-grossing film of 1981.