Rocky is a 1976 American sports film directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. Creed is a 2015 American drama film directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson Creed II, the son of Apollo Creed’s son from Rocky IV who seeks to follow in his father’s footsteps against his will.
Rocky is a series of films about an underdog boxer from Philadelphia named Rocky Balboa. The first film in the series, Rocky, was released on November 16, 1976. Creed is a series of films that follow Adonis Johnson, son of Apollo Creed and grandson of Dr. Adonis Johnson. The first film in the series, Creed, was released on November 25, 2015.
The Rocky and Creed films are part of the Rocky series. The movies are usually divided into two sections. Rocky movies follow the lives of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. The Creed films, on the other hand, center on Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, Rocky Balboa’s protégé.
If you’re new to the series, and there are so many movies to watch, you’re probably wondering how to watch Rocky and Creed movies in sequence.
How many Rocky and Creed films have been made?
There are six films in the Rocky franchise. The Creed films, on the other hand, are now limited to two. However, a third film is set to be released shortly.
The Rocky and Creed Films in Order of Release
So, here’s a rundown of all the Rocky movies, sorted by release date.
- Rocky is a character in the film Rocky (1976)
- Rocky II is a sequel to Rocky I. (1979)
- Rocky III is the third installment in the Rocky franchise (1982)
- Rocky IV is the fourth installment in the Rocky franchise (1985)
- Rocky V is the fifth installment in the Rocky franchise (1990)
- Rocky Balboa is a fictional character created by Rocky Balboa (2006)
The Creed movies are listed below in order of release date:
- Religion (2015)
- Creed II is a sequel to Creed (2018)
In chronological order, here are the Rocky and Creed films.
Surprisingly, the Rocky and Creed films were released in the same sequence in terms of release dates and chronology. This is due to the fact that the events in the film occur in a chronological order from the beginning to the last.
As a result, in order to completely comprehend the plot, you need see the films in the sequence in which they were released. Here’s a sneak peek at the movie.
Rocky is number one (1976)
Rocky tells the story of Rocky Balboa, a little-known boxer who works as a debt collector for Tony Gazzo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
When he’s not collecting outstanding bills for his employer or working at Mickey’s gym, he’s attempting to court his infatuation, Adrian Pennino.
Apollo Creed, the world heavyweight boxing champion, visited Philadelphia in November 1975. For the approaching United States Bicentennial, he was slated to face Mac Lee Green.
However, due to an injury, the guy withdraws from the battle. Creed is stuck without any other warriors to battle. As a result, Creed decides to offer a local boxer a once-in-a-lifetime chance to face him for a $150,000 prize.
He picks Rocky due of his pseudonym, “The Italian Stallion,” and the good press he’ll get by giving an underdog a chance at the championship.
Rocky first refuses, but eventually accepts because of the money and the chance to show to himself and the rest of the world that he isn’t such a jerk.
After that, he hires Mickey as his manager and trainer. Rocky also enlists the help of his closest buddy, Paulie, as a cornerman.
Meanwhile, thanks to Paulie’s help, his efforts to woo Adrian begin to bear fruit. Finally, he is able to take her out, and they begin to fall in love.
Much later, Rocky informs Adrian that he doesn’t believe he can win the fight, but that he will fight Creed for the full 15 rounds. Furthermore, no one had ever done anything like it before.
The battle starts on New Year’s Day after that. Rocky is almost knocked out in the first round by Creed. Instead, he heeds the instructions of his trainer Mickey, who advised him to go for Creed’s rib.
He manages to shatter a few while also suffering from a fractured nose. The combatants are thrashing one other, but Rocky manages to make it to the 15th round. He’s accomplished his objective.
Despite the fact that the fight was a tie, Creed was declared the victor by technical decision and maintained his world heavyweight championship, but Rocky remains unconcerned!
All he cares about is being embraced by the lady he loves. Finally, he gets everything he ever desired: people’s respect and the lady of his dreams!
Rocky II is the sequel to Rocky (1979)
Rocky II is a follow-up to the events in the first film franchise.
Following his successful defense of his title against challenger Rocky Balboa, both boxers, Rocky and Creed, are taken to the hospital with injuries suffered during the bout.
Rocky, on the other hand, had a retinal detachment, and a similar blow to the eye may result in lifelong blindness. As a result, he chooses to retire, and his girlfriend Adrian and the doctors agree.
Creed, on the other hand, desired a rematch because he believed Rocky’s victory against him was a fluke.
Meanwhile, Rocky has become very rich as a result of his winnings from the fight and new sports sponsorships. Encouraged by this, he proposes to Adrian, which she accepts, and the two marry.
Adrian gets pregnant after a while. Creed, on the other hand, isn’t ready to give up on the prospect of fighting Rocky again. He does all he can to get Rocky out of retirement, but he is unsuccessful.
Rocky runs out of money and becomes poor as a result of his lack of financial knowledge. After many unsuccessful job applications, he finally considers a rematch.
He seeks the assistance of his former manager and trainer, Mickey Goldmill, in obtaining the rematch. Mickey first refuses because of his worry about Rocky’s health, but he eventually reconsiders.
Adrian, on the other hand, refuses to give her approval since she is concerned about her husband’s vision. Regardless, Rocky continues to train with Mickey in preparation for the battle. He’s not focused, though, since his wife has refused to support him.
However, after a near-death experience, she changes her mind and agrees to a rematch with Rocky. Creed claimed on the night of the bout that he would knock out Rocky in two rounds. The match, on the other hand, went until the 15th round, when Rocky was badly behind.
He chose to fight right-handed rather than left-handed, as he had been used to, in order to protect his damaged eye.
However, in the last round, he chose to use his stronger left hand. As a result, he unleashed a flurry of deadly blows on Creed, knocking him out. Voila! He is currently the heavyweight champion of the world.
Rocky III is the third installment (1982)
Rocky III is the sequel to Rocky II. Rocky becomes the new world heavyweight title after beating Creed in the 15th round. He’d subsequently go on to defend his championship against 10 opponents.
He amass a great deal of money, sponsorships, popularity, and celebrity status. As a consequence, he starts to think about retiring.
At the same time, a young and skilled boxer called Clubber Lang emerges to become Rocky’s main rival. Lang requests a match, but Rocky declines.
Rocky accepts the offer after a series of verbal spats and some sexual remarks about Rocky’s wife. Mickey, understandably, does not want to be a part of it. Rocky, on the other hand, wins him over by promising to workout like he used to. He, on the other hand, did not.
After that, on the day of the battle, before entering the ring, Lang shoves Mickey, causing him to collapse. Rocky is upset, and he’s determined to knock down Lang as soon as possible.
He’s brash and throws some deadly blows at Lang, but he can’t knock him out. Lang recovers and delivers a haymaker on Rocky, knocking him out in the second round and establishing himself as the world heavyweight champion.
Mickey dies as a result, and Rocky gets sad. He decides to visit his old trainer’s gym one day while walking by. Inside, he discovers his old foe, Creed.
Rocky accepts Creed’s offer to train him for a rematch against Lang, which he accepts. Creed brings him to his Los Angeles gym and introduces him to Tony Duke Evers, his former manager and trainer. He also offers to help Rocky train.
Rocky, in the meanwhile, adds Creed’s speed and skill to his arsenal. Furthermore, the two erstwhile foes become close friends.
Finally, the battle day has arrived. To everyone’s astonishment, Rocky crushes Lang in the opening round. In the second round, though, Lang starts to reverse the tide.
Rocky knows he won’t be able to defeat him and alters his approach. He takes the pounding and teases Lang, claiming that Lang will never be able to knock him out.
Lang is enraged by this. He attempts and fails to knock out Rocky, wasting his energy in the process. This gives Rocky the upper hand, which he happily accepts, and he knocks Lang out. He reclaims the world heavyweight championship.
Rocky IV is number four on the list (1985)
Rocky IV is the fourth installment in the Rocky series. Ivan Drago, a Soviet boxer, arrives in the United States in 1985 with his wife, manager, and coaches.
His manager brags about how much superior Soviet sportsmen are than American ones. After that, Apollo Creed challenges Drago to an exhibition bout out of patriotism and a desire to prove himself. He happily accepts the offer. Rocky agrees to be Creed’s trainer.
The event will be held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Creed is aggressive at early, hitting a few punches, but they aren’t powerful enough to put Drago down.
Drago then starts to counter-punch Creed’s strikes. He beats the crap out of Creed with ruthlessness. The bell rings to mark the conclusion of the first round, which is fortunate for Creed.
Rocky and Duke urge Creed to stop fighting, but he refuses. Finally, he requests that Rocky not stop the fight under any circumstances. The second round starts after that.
Drago is continuing to bash up on Creed. Duke finally begs him to go, but Rocky accepts Apollo’s request. As a result, Drago is able to deliver one last fatal blow on Apollo, killing him. Drago displays no regret for his actions.
Rocky challenges Drago to a battle, fueled by Drago’s emotionlessness and a desire to avenge Creed. To do so, he gives up his title. The battle will take place in Moscow on Christmas Day.
Only Duke and his brother-in-law Paulie accompany Rocky on his journey to Moscow. Adrian refuses to attend because she thinks Rocky will lose against the more powerful and vicious Drago.
Drago, meantime, trains in Moscow with high-tech equipment and gets steroid injections on a daily basis. Rocky, on the other hand, prepares for the bout in a traditional manner.
He gets a surprise visit from his wife a few days before the fight, who has come to endorse the match. He is a driven individual.
The battle starts after that. Unlike his battle with Creed, Drago started the fight on the offensive. Rocky takes a thrashing from him, but he seems unfazed.
Meanwhile, Rocky starts to overpower him towards the conclusion of the second round. He succeeds to cut Drago, much to everyone’s surprise.
Rocky throws a few punches on Drago in the fifteenth round, knocking him out. Rocky triumphs, much to the delight of everyone, even the Soviet government officials.
Rocky V (number 5) (1990)
Rocky V is a follow-up to Rocky IV. Rocky, Adrian, Tony Duke, and Paulie return to America after beating Ivan Drago in Moscow.
He had a press conference where George Washington Duke attempted to persuade him to fight for his title against the current number one contender, Union Cane. He, on the other hand, refuses.
Then it’s revealed that he’s now bankrupt as a result of his accountant stealing his money, and he hasn’t paid taxes in years.
Rocky discusses battling Cane with his wife Adrian in order to improve their financial condition. She then requests that he first visit his physicians.
Doctors disclose that he had a brain damage in his last battle and that fighting Cane would be harmful to his health. He regretfully quits from boxing in light of this.
He returns to his old neighborhood with his family and Paulie after having all of his assets confiscated. While Adrian returns to working at the pet shop, he starts boxing training at Mickey’s gym.
Union Cane, meanwhile, wins the vacant world heavyweight title. Rocky then starts training Tommy Gunn, an up-and-coming Oklahoma fighter.
As a result, he spends less time with his son Robert, who gets harassed at school. His connection with his son Robert suffers as a consequence.
At the same time, Tommy is defeated by George Washington Duke, who has been groomed by Rocky to become the number one competitor.
As a result, Rocky is upset, but his wife consoles him, and he mends his friendship with Robert.
Tommy beats Cane by knocking him out in the first round on New Year’s Day, and becomes the world heavyweight champion.
However, at Duke’s request, Tommy, Duke’s manager, travels to Philadelphia with Duke and meets up with Rocky and Paulie at a pub.
After that, he requests a battle with Rocky, but Rocky refuses. Rocky feels energised after punching Paulie and asks Tommy to a street fight, which Tommy agrees. Duke, on the other hand, cautions him against it.
Rocky starts pummeling Tommy mercilessly throughout the battle. Tommy, on the other hand, resurfaces and starts to counterattack, knocking Rocky to the ground.
Rocky then utilizes techniques he acquired as a tax collector to knock out Tommy and win the battle, energised by images of Mickey and the applause of the audience.
Rocky Balboa is number six on the list (2006)
Rocky Balboa is the sixth installment in the Rocky film series. Rocky is now in his forties and a widower, and the film is set in 2006. Adrian, his wife, had died of ovarian cancer four years before.
Rocky currently owns and operates Adrian’s, a tiny but profitable Italian restaurant in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, his son Robert works in a corporate position in Philadelphia, and the two have a difficult relationship.
He also has problems as a consequence of his sorrow over Adrian’s death. When he meets Marie and her son Stephenson, though, he starts to feel better.
Meanwhile, in boxing, Mason Dixon, also known as ‘The Line,’ is the world heavyweight champion. However, he is at odds with the general public and fight promoters, who believe that he has never faced a tough enough opponent.
A simulated battle between Rocky in his heyday and the modern-day Dixon was aired on ESPN many years later. Rocky wins the match with a knockout victory.
As a result, Dixon is furious, while Rocky, on the other hand, is ecstatic. As a consequence, he wants to return to boxing, but only locally. The audience gets into a frenzy when he successfully regains his license.
Meanwhile, Dixon’s team advises him to enter a charity exhibition battle with Rocky in order to boost his profile. Surprisingly, he accepts, but only after a little of persuasion.
Dixon’s agents also pay Rocky a visit and attempt to persuade him to participate in a ten-round exhibition bout, which he refuses. Marie, on the other hand, advises him that this is his final chance at anything meaningful. As a result, he reconsiders and agrees.
Meanwhile, Robert blames his father for his failure in the business world, claiming that he has spent his whole life under Rocky’s shadow and that the battle would only make matters worse.
However, they reconcile after an emotional discussion, and Roberts leaves his job to work with his father. Rocky then starts training with Apollo Creed’s old trainer, Tony Duke.
Dixon’s quickness overwhelms Rocky throughout the battle, and he is knocked down a number of times. When Dixon injures his hand after striking him with a hook to the hip, he gets an advantage.
They’re both tough, since the battle has gone all the way to the eleventh round. The battle draws to a close with Rocky delivering the last blow. Dixon is declared the winner by a majority decision, but Rocky seems unconcerned.
7. Belief (2015)
Creed is a sequel to the Rocky film series as well as a spin-off. It starred Adonis Johnson, alias ‘Donnie,’ the son of Apollo Creed, the former world heavyweight champion who had an adulterous affair with his mother.
Adonis wants to be a boxer when Apollo’s widow takes him home.
In Tijuana, Mexico, he enters an amateur boxing fight, which he comfortably wins.
He then returns to Los Angeles, quitting his desk job to pursue his boxing ambitions. In the meanwhile, he trains at the Delphi Boxing Academy, where his father used to compete.
It is currently managed by Tony Duke Evers’ son, Tony “Little Duke” Evers Jr., who has challenged the fighters to a battle. However, he ultimately falls to Danny Wheeler in the fight.
His stepmother, on the other hand, opposes boxing since she lost her husband to it thirty years ago. Creed, on the other hand, is stubborn and insists on having his way.
He chooses to visit Philadelphia after seeing his father Apollo fight Rocky in a boxing bout. Adrian’s, his Italian restaurant named after his late wife, is where he meets Rocky.
Rocky is then approached by Adonis, who requests that he become his trainer. Rocky refuses because he no longer wants to be a part of the boxing scene. After visiting Adrian and Paulie’s graves, he reconsiders and allows Adonis to train under him.
They go to Pete Sporino’s Front Street Gym. His first opponent is Pete Sporino’s son, Leo, whom he easily beats. Pete’s camp then releases information about Adonis’ father, claiming that he is the son of Apollo Creed.
As a result, Rocky and Adonis meet up with “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, the unbeaten boxing champion, and his manager. Eventually, both sides agree to a battle.
Meanwhile, Adonis’ feelings for Bianca start to grow. Bianca is a composer and a vocalist. After some time, he discovers that she suffers from a gradual hearing loss, which brings them closer together.
After afterwards, as the fight date approaches, Rocky ramps up Adonis’ training. Culan is the crowd’s favorite during the bout. In the opening round, he effortlessly dominates, slashing Adonis above the eye.
Adonis, on the other hand, regains his composure and knocks Culan out for the first time in Cullen’s career. He goes the distance with Culan as well, but he loses by a split decision. His act, on the other hand, is a hit with the audience.
Creed II (number 8) (2018)
Adonis wins six straight bouts and becomes the WBC World Heavyweight Champion three years after losing by default to Conlan.
He then proposes to his love Bianca, who accepts his proposal and agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, Ivan Drogo, his son Viktor, and Buddy Marcelle, Rocky’s old opponent, plan to attack Adonis.
The Drogos and Buddy then go to Philadelphia to face Rocky. In the restaurant, Ivan approaches Rocky and requests a bout between Adonis and Viktor, but Rocky declines.
Buddy then approaches Adonis during one of Bianca’s performances, attempting to persuade him to accept the challenge. He then meets up with Rocky to talk about it.
Rocky, on the other hand, refuses to be a part of it because he wants to escape the fate that befell Adonis’ father, Creed. As a result, he refuses to coach Adonis. Bianca and Adonis finally, vehemently, depart for Los Angeles.
Following that, Adonis hires Tony Evers, “Little Duke,” the son of his father’s previous trainer, as his personal trainer. He agrees. Meanwhile, Adonis and Bianca pay a visit to Apollo’s widow and adopted mother, Mary Anne.
She informs them that Bianca is expecting a child and subsequently agrees to the battle as long as Adonis and Apollo are kept out. Bianca then takes a pregnancy test and finds out she’s expecting.
Meanwhile, Viktor and Adonis are battling it out in the ring. Adonis, confident in his abilities, scores a couple solid punches on Viktor in the opening round. Viktor, on the other hand, swiftly recovers.
He counters with a series of punches that shatter Adonis’ ribs and knock him to the ground. Viktor then uses an illegal headshot to knock down Adonis. As a consequence, he is unable to achieve victory.
Despite this, Adonis keeps his title. However, he is disappointed and isolates himself from everyone. Finally, Mary Anne approaches Rocky for assistance, and he travels to Los Angeles.
Adonis and Rocky get ready, and Rocky offers to coach him for the rematch against Viktor, who is now a well-known Russian figure. In the meanwhile, Bianca gives birth to a daughter named Amara.
Rocky then starts training Adonis in harsh circumstances in order to increase his strength and stamina. Ivan, on the other hand, is putting in a lot of effort into Viktor’s training.
The battle takes place in Moscow on the night of the fight. Donnie takes the lead in the first round, but Viktor reclaims it in the second, fracturing a couple of Adonis’ ribs in the process.
Viktor usually knocks out his opponents before the fourth round, thus Adonis’ plan is to take a pounding until Viktor tires out. And that is exactly what Adonis does.
As a result, he takes a pounding from Viktor. However, Viktor starts to fatigue in the tenth round, and Adonis sees an opening. He throws a few good blows and knocks Viktor out twice.
Ivan then admits defeat and throws in the towel since Viktor was brutally pummeled and didn’t defend himself. Adonis is declared the winner.
Is it necessary to see Rocky and Creed in order?
The Rocky and Creed films must be seen in sequence. This is because the films build on one other in a logical order, and the plots are self-contained. As a result, if you view them in a random order, you may not completely understand the events of the film series.
Will More Rocky and Creed Films Be Made?
There will be more Rocky films in the future. A third Creed film is presently under development, with a November 2024 release date planned.
Rocky V is the fifth film in the Rocky series. It was released in 1990 and directed by John G. Avildsen. Creed is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Ryan Coogler, who also co-wrote it with Aaron Covington. Reference: rocky v.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what order do I watch the Rocky and creed movies?
Creed first, then Rocky.
Do I need to watch all the Rocky movies before creed?
You dont need to watch all the Rocky movies before Creed, but it is recommended.
Is Creed a sequel to Rocky?
It is not a sequel to Rocky, but it is an American sports drama film series that follows the life of boxer Adonis Creed.
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