This Rocky Spinoff’s Fate Has Finally Been Revealed, And Confirms Which Direction The Series Is Moving

✓ Appropriate! Stallone refused until he performed Rocky himself. Winkler and Chartoff provided as much as $360,000 (some accounts say the determine climbed even greater) on the situation that they solid a reputation actor — Ryan O’Neal, James Caan, Burt Reynolds and Robert Redford had been all floated. Stallone turned it down repeatedly and the producers ultimately relented, agreeing to make the movie for a a lot smaller $1 million funds with Stallone within the lead. Rocky grossed $225 million worldwide and received Finest Image — probably the most well-known “maintain out for the lead” guess in trendy Hollywood historical past.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is that Stallone refused to promote the script until he may star in it as Rocky. The producers wished a identified title — Ryan O’Neal, James Caan, Burt Reynolds and Robert Redford had been all thought-about — and provided as much as a reported $360,000 for the script alone. Stallone, with $106 within the financial institution, refused till they relented. He directing it (possibility A) by no means got here up; John G. Avildsen directed and received the Oscar.

✓ Appropriate! Carl Weathers (1948–2024). Weathers was a real-deal athlete: a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders in 1970–71, then for the BC Lions within the CFL, earlier than appearing work started trickling in. He landed Apollo at 28 with nearly no display screen expertise and instantly grew to become one of the vital charismatic American sports activities villains-turned-allies of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Weathers reprised Apollo in Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982) and Rocky IV (1985) — by which Apollo is killed by Ivan Drago — and went on to play Dillon in Predator (1987) and, a long time later, Greef Karga in The Mandalorian. Tony Burton performed Apollo’s coach Duke.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Carl Weathers. Tony Burton performed Apollo’s longtime coach Duke — he’s in all six unique Rocky movies and Creed II. Yaphet Kotto and Roger E. Mosley had been ‘70s/‘80s main Black actors however by no means appeared in Rocky. Weathers, a former Oakland Raiders linebacker turned actor, performed Apollo throughout Rocky I by means of IV.

✓ Appropriate! Rocky III (1982). Mickey collapses within the dressing room after a pre-fight altercation between Clubber Lang and the Balboa camp and dies shortly afterward in Rocky’s arms — the scene that arguably stays the franchise’s most-quoted emotional second. Meredith was 75 on the time. He seems posthumously in flashback in Rocky V (1990) and once more, in a hallucinated speech, in Rocky Balboa (2006); the “you was robbed” / “however you ain’t a fighter” scene within the latter is one in every of Stallone’s private favourites from the complete franchise.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Rocky III (1982). Mickey collapses within the dressing room after the pre-fight altercation with Clubber Lang and dies in Rocky’s arms earlier than the primary Lang bout. He seems posthumously in flashback in Rocky V and in a hallucinated locker-room speech in Rocky Balboa (2006), however his dying scene is Rocky III.

✓ Appropriate! Mr. T (born Laurence Tureaud). Stallone first noticed him on NBC’s 1980 “America’s Hardest Bouncer” competitors and solid him with nearly no display screen expertise. Rocky III made him a family title and led straight into his position as B.A. Baracus on The A-Crew the next yr (1983). The lure right here is Hulk Hogan, who actually is in Rocky III — as “Thunderlips,” the large wrestler Rocky fights in a charity bout within the movie’s opening — however he isn’t Clubber. Clubber Lang is Mr. T, and his “Ache” pre-fight prediction is among the most-quoted traces in ‘80s American movie.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Mr. T. The lure is Hulk Hogan, who genuinely does seem in Rocky III as “Thunderlips,” the absurdly massive wrestler Rocky faces in a charity bout early within the movie — however he isn’t Clubber Lang. Ken Norton and Joe Frazier had been each real-life Ali rivals who Apollo Creed was loosely modelled on, however neither acted within the Rocky movies. Mr. T is Clubber.

✓ Appropriate! Dolph Lundgren. He actually did have a Fulbright scholarship in chemical engineering at MIT, which he deserted to take the position. The coaching scenes had been brutal — Lundgren reportedly hit Stallone so laborious throughout a battle rehearsal that Stallone was hospitalized for 9 days with a swollen coronary heart. Brigitte Nielsen additionally seems in Rocky IV — as Ludmilla Drago, Ivan’s spouse — and married Stallone shortly earlier than the movie’s launch. Schwarzenegger and Van Damme are the plain ‘80s muscular-European-villain confusions; each belong to different franchises (Conan, Bloodsport).

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Dolph Lundgren. Brigitte Nielsen, possibility D, is in Rocky IV — she performs Ludmilla, Drago’s spouse (and married Stallone in actual life shortly earlier than the movie’s launch) — however she isn’t Drago. Schwarzenegger and Van Damme are the plain ‘80s muscle-villain confusions however neither was ever in a Rocky movie. Drago is Lundgren’s star-making, scholarship-abandoning Hollywood debut.

✓ Appropriate! “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor — written by Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik particularly for Rocky III after Stallone despatched them a temp minimize scored to “One other One Bites the Mud.” It spent six weeks at #1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 in mid-1982, received the Grammy for Finest Rock Efficiency by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and is among the uncommon TV/movie theme songs that’s change into genuinely synonymous with its supply materials. The three different choices are all actual Rocky-franchise songs: Invoice Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now” is the unique 1976 fanfare; “Burning Coronary heart” (Survivor once more) and “No Straightforward Method Out” (Robert Tepper) are each from Rocky IV.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. The opposite three are all actual Rocky-franchise songs: Invoice Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now” is the unique 1976 trumpet fanfare; “Burning Coronary heart” (Survivor) and “No Straightforward Method Out” (Robert Tepper) are each from Rocky IV. The 1982 chart-topper Stallone commissioned after Queen turned him down is “Eye of the Tiger.”

✓ Appropriate! Finest Movie Enhancing — for Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad. Stallone famously misplaced each of his nominations: Finest Actor went to Peter Finch (posthumously) for Community, and Finest Unique Screenplay went to Paddy Chayefsky (additionally for Community). “Gonna Fly Now,” regardless of being one of the vital recognisable items of movie music ever written, misplaced Finest Music to “Evergreen” from A Star Is Born. Talia Shire’s Adrian was nominated for Finest Actress and misplaced to Faye Dunaway (Community once more). The 1977 Oscars had been basically Rocky vs. Community — and the evening Rocky received Finest Image remains to be the highest-profile Finest Image upset of the last decade.

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Finest Movie Enhancing (Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad). Stallone famously misplaced each of his nominations — Finest Actor went to Peter Finch for Community, Finest Unique Screenplay went to Paddy Chayefsky (additionally Community). “Gonna Fly Now” misplaced Finest Music to “Evergreen” from A Star Is Born. So Rocky’s three wins are: Image, Director and Enhancing.

✓ Appropriate! Ryan Coogler. He’d made Fruitvale Station with Michael B. Jordan in 2013 (at age 26) and parlayed the connection and Sundance buzz into the Creed pitch — reportedly strolling into MGM with a video of his father (a Rocky superfan) crying about Apollo’s dying. Coogler co-wrote the script with Aaron Covington. Creed earned Stallone an Oscar nomination 39 years after his Rocky nod — he misplaced to Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies. Steven Caple Jr. (possibility A) is the lure: he directed Creed II (2018). Coogler went on to make Black Panther (2018), Wakanda Eternally (2022) and Sinners (2025).

✗ Incorrect. The reply is Ryan Coogler. The lure is Steven Caple Jr. (possibility A) — he directed Creed II (2018), not the unique. Antoine Fuqua and F. Gary Grey weren’t concerned. Coogler made Creed at 29, contemporary off Fruitvale Station (2013, additionally with Michael B. Jordan); he’s since gone on to Black Panther, Wakanda Eternally and Sinners.