An “Amazing” ‘Rocky IV’ Director’s Cut Is Coming, Sylvester Stallone Promises
Rocky Balboa may have hung up his boxing gloves, butSylvester Stallonehasn’t left theRockyfranchise behind just yet. Stallone revealed that he is working on a director’s cut of the 1985 classicRocky IV, which he says will be “amazing.” The news comes in the wake of the success ofCreed 2, which continues theRockyfranchise through the story ofMichael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, and following the release of an extended cut of Stallone’sRambo: Last Blood.
Stallone posted an image onhis Instagram pageto promote the extended cut ofRambo: Last Blood, prompting one fan to ask whether a directors cut of 2006’sRocky Balboawould ever be released. While Stallone admitted that he is “not doing that,” he did tease another project that he’s working on that could warrant a few fist pumps in the air: aRocky IVdirector’s cut. Stallone enthusiastically teased in the comment:
“I am doing a directors cut on Rocky IV which will be amazing!!!!!”
No further details have been revealed about this director’s cut ofRocky IV, like when it would come out, whether it would be released exclusively to a streaming service asRambo: Last Bloodhas been, or why this all came about. Perhaps Stallone just wanted to revisit the 1985 movie, which is considered one of the most iconic entries of the boxing franchise.
Rocky IVfollows Rocky Balboa as he is ripped out of his planned retirement when his beloved friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is brutally killed in the ring by the hulking Russian newcomer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Rocky vows vengeance, taking on the next fight with Drago on a Christmas Day match in Russia. It’s a ridiculous, triumphant film that tapped into American nationalism amid Cold War tensions (basically, Rocky beats Russia forAmerica).Rocky IVwas met with mixed response from critics at the time, but it was a smash success at the box office, earning more than $300 million worldwide, and remains the most successful and iconic entry in theRockyfranchise. The events ofRocky IVwould also eventually spawn theCreedspin-off series, which follows Apollo’s son Adonis as he attempts to make a name for himself in the shadow of his father’s death.
Shortly after the release ofCreed II, Stallone announced that he was retiring the character of Rocky Balboa for good, after eight movies in the ring as the boxing legend.Creed 3is reportedlyin the works, with Zach Baylin handling the script.
