Rocky (franchise): History and Key Facts

Rocky is an American sports drama multimedia franchise created by Sylvester Stallone, centering on the fictional life of boxer Rocky Balboa in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which began with the eponymous 1976 film and has since become a cultural phenomenon.

The original film Rocky was written by Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen, and was followed by the sequels Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990), and Rocky Balboa (2006). Stallone wrote each of the five sequels and directed four, with Avildsen returning to direct Rocky V.

A sequel film series followed, with Creed (2015), Creed II (2018), and Creed III (2023). The series stars Michael B. Jordan as boxer Adonis Creed, with Rocky as his trainer in the first two films. The Creed films were directed by Ryan Coogler, Steven Caple Jr., and Jordan respectively.

A fourth Creed film, a stand-alone Drago film, a prequel television series, and various other spin-offs are in development.

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