Summary
- The
Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Edition
4K UHD set will include all six of the original
Rocky
films and drops on July 16 for $119.99. - Director’s cuts of both
Rocky IV
and
Rocky Balboa
are included along with the six theatrical cuts. - The
Ultimate Knockout Edition
will not include the three
Creed
spin-off movies.
Whether fans are “Gonna Fly Now,” or they’re hungry enough to have the “Eye of the Tiger,” a brand-new Rocky film collection has everyone covered. The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Edition set will drop later this summer, and it will collect all six of the original Sylvester Stallone-led sports dramas together in one 4K set for the very first time. In addition to the theatrical editions of Rocky I-V and Rocky Balboa, the Ultimate Knockout Edition also includes Rocky vs. Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut and the director’s cut of Rocky Balboa. Check out images of the Ultimate Knockout Edition below:
The seven-disc collection includes 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital. The Ultimate Knockout Edition also features the special behind-the-scenes look at the director’s cut of Rocky IV, aka Rocky vs. Drago, which is the 93-minute long The Making of Rocky vs. Drago: Keep Punching. The director’s cut of Rocky Balboa offers fans nearly 15 minutes of additional, unseen footage absent from the theatrical version and an alternate ending (per CBR).
Rocky
- Release Date
- November 21, 1976
- Runtime
- 119
- Tagline
- His whole life was a million-to-one shot.
- Franchise
- Rocky
Underdog boxer Rocky Balboa’s (Stallone) live-changing story began nearly 50 years ago when the reigning heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), gave an unknown club fighter the chance of a lifetime. A split-decision not only led to an epic rematch in Rocky II (1979), but the original Rocky (1976) was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won three Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing) at the 1977 ceremony.
Rocky Balboa’s One and Only No-Show
What won’t be included in the Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection are the Creed spin-off films starring Michael B. Jordan as the son of Apollo Creed (Weathers). And while both Creed and Creed II features Sylvester Stallone’s Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa is noticeably absent in the most recent sequel, Creed III. And Balboa’s one no-show in the entire nine-film franchise boils down to a difference of “philosophy.” Stallone said of Rocky’s absence during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
“That’s a regretful situation because I know what it could have been.
It was taken in a direction that is quite different than I would’ve taken it.
It’s a different philosophy — Irwin Winkler’s and Michael B. Jordan’s.
I wish them well, but I’m much more of a sentimentalist. I like my heroes getting beat up,
but I just don’t want them going into that dark space. I just feel people have enough darkness.”
How to Watch the Rocky Franchise Movies in Order
Find out how and where to watch the Rocky franchise in order of story events and release date.
Michael B. Jordan’s best films include all three Creed installments, not to mention his unforgettable portrayal of Erik Killmonger in the original Black Panther. But when asked about the absence of Rocky Balboa in Creed III, Jordan boiled the decision down to simply “moving forward.” Jordan said in an interview with HOT 97:
“I want Adonis to stand on his own two feet.
In order to do that, we had to go into the past.
What were those transformative years, those childhood traumas that shaped [Adonis] today?
I think the room for this story was really about Adonis Creed moving forward with his family, a
nd having him move forward. That’s kind of how we rolled out the story for this one.”
While the Creed film trilogy isn’t included in the upcoming 4K UHD set, the fans can preorder Rocky: The Ultimate Edition now on Amazon for $119.99. The 4K collection of all six Rocky movies will officially drop on July 16.
