Rocky and Creed Movies Ranked: Every Film, Worst to Best
Nine movies, one ring, almost fifty years of blood and bruises. The Rocky saga went from scrappy underdog drama to Cold War spectacle to family legacy franchise, and somehow the Creed trilogy breathed new life into it instead of just cashing in on the name.
We ranked all nine films, the original six Rocky movies plus the three Creed sequels, based on where fans and critics actually land after decades of arguing in forums and comment sections. Some of this is settled consensus. Some of it we had to pick a side on. Rank them yourself and see where you disagree with us.
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SS Tier: The real champions
Rocky
The one that started it all and still the best, a scrappy, low-budget character study that somehow beat out bigger films for Best Picture. It's not really about boxing. It's about a nobody from Philly asking a girl out at a skating rink and trying to go the distance with his life, not just with Apollo Creed. Nothing in the franchise since has matched its quiet, stumbling sincerity.
About Rocky
The 1976 film that launched the franchise, following small-time Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa as he gets a shot at the heavyweight title against Apollo Creed. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone on a modest budget, it won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
- Released
- 1976
- Director
- John G. Avildsen
Creed
Ryan Coogler took a franchise that looked finished and made it feel urgent again. Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Johnson carries real weight as Apollo's son trying to outrun and honor a legacy, and that single-take fight scene is one of the best things the series has ever filmed. Stallone's Rocky, now the mentor instead of the fighter, gives one of his most moving performances.
About Creed
A 2015 spin-off following Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed, as he trains under an aging Rocky Balboa. Directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan.
- Released
- 2015
- Director
- Ryan Coogler
AA Tier: Genuinely great
Rocky IV
Absurd, overblown, and somehow completely beloved. Drago's "I must break you," the training montage in the Siberian snow against Apollo's neon Vegas excess, Paulie's robot, it's pure 80s cheese and fans wouldn't change a frame of it. Critics shrug, audiences adore it, and that gap is basically the whole story of this movie's legacy.
About Rocky IV
The 1985 entry pitting Rocky against Soviet fighter Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, after Drago kills Apollo Creed in an exhibition match.
- Released
- 1985
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
Creed II
Bringing back Ivan Drago to fight Adonis could have been a cheap nostalgia play, but it lands because it's really about fathers and sons on both sides of the ring. Dolph Lundgren gets more to do here than in all of Rocky IV, and the final fight has genuine stakes beyond just winning. A worthy sequel to a nearly impossible act to follow.
About Creed II
The 2018 sequel bringing back Ivan Drago and introducing his son Viktor as Adonis's opponent, tying the Creed storyline directly back to Rocky IV.
- Released
- 2018
- Director
- Steven Caple Jr.
Rocky III
Clubber Lang and "Eye of the Tiger" alone earn this one a high spot, but it's also where Apollo Creed becomes Rocky's friend and trainer, which pays off beautifully in later films. Mr. T is a genuinely scary villain, and the training-on-the-beach sequence is iconic in a franchise full of them.
About Rocky III
The 1982 film introducing Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T, as Rocky's brash new challenger, with Apollo Creed returning as Rocky's trainer.
- Released
- 1982
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
BB Tier: Solid, no complaints
Rocky Balboa
A quiet, graceful comeback after the Rocky V misstep, with Stallone clearly aware he's playing an older, grieving man rather than trying to recapture 1976. The exhibition fight against Mason Dixon isn't the point, the point is Rocky finding a reason to keep going after losing Adrian. Fans who wrote off the franchise were pleasantly surprised by this one.
About Rocky Balboa
The 2006 continuation bringing Stallone back to the role years later, with an aging Rocky taking one more exhibition fight against reigning champion Mason Dixon.
- Released
- 2006
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
Creed III
Jonathan Majors brings real menace as Damian, a childhood friend turned rival, and Jordan's directorial debut has some striking visual swings in the fight scenes. It drifts further from Rocky's shadow than any Creed film before it, which some fans loved and others felt lost something in translation. Still a solid, well-acted entry.
About Creed III
The 2023 film and Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut, centered on Adonis facing childhood friend turned rival Damian, played by Jonathan Majors.
- Released
- 2023
- Director
- Michael B. Jordan
Rocky II
The rematch nobody but Rocky himself seemed to want, yet it delivers, especially Adrian's hospital-bed "win" that sends him back into training. It leans harder into crowd-pleasing structure than the original and loses some of that film's rawness, but the ending still gets people cheering every time.
About Rocky II
The 1979 sequel in which Rocky and Apollo Creed face off in a rematch. It was Stallone's directorial debut for the series.
- Released
- 1979
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
FF Tier: Down for the count
Rocky V
Brain damage forces Rocky to retire and train a young boxer instead, and the result is a film most fans agree is the low point of the series, a messy return to the streets after the sequels went bigger and bolder. The alley fight with Tommy Gunn feels like a step backward rather than forward, and even Stallone has admitted this one didn't work.
About Rocky V
The 1990 film that sees Rocky forced into retirement due to brain damage, turning instead to training a young fighter named Tommy Gunn.
- Released
- 1990
- Director
- John G. Avildsen
How we ranked them
We weighed critical reception, how the films have aged with fans, and where they sit in the franchise's overall reputation. Emotional impact counts for a lot here, this series runs on heart as much as hooks. We also factored in rewatchability: a movie people still throw on for a Saturday afternoon beats one that gets skipped even if its box office was bigger at the time.
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Rank these yourselfFAQ
What is the best Rocky movie?
The original 1976 Rocky is widely considered the best, both by critics (it won Best Picture) and by fans for its heart and simplicity. Creed is the closest any sequel has come to matching it.
What is the worst Rocky movie?
Rocky V is generally seen as the weakest entry in the franchise, with fans and critics agreeing its story and tone fell flat compared to the rest of the series.
Do you need to watch the Rocky movies before Creed?
It helps but isn't required. Creed is built to welcome new viewers, though knowing Apollo and Rocky's history from the original films adds extra emotional weight.
Is Creed II as good as Creed?
Most fans rate the original Creed slightly higher, but Creed II is well regarded for handling the Drago legacy with more depth than expected.
How many Rocky and Creed movies are there in total?
Nine films total: six Rocky movies and three Creed movies, spanning from 1976 to the present.