By Marquee Editorial6 entries
The Rocky franchise follows the journey of Rocky Balboa, a Philadelphia club fighter who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight a world heavyweight champion. The entries connect sequentially, tracking his career, relationships, retirement, and eventual return to the ring. Watching the films in release order is essential for first-time viewers to properly experience the natural progression of Rocky's life, his evolving relationships with characters like Apollo Creed and Adrian, and the gradual aging of the protagonist across his various bouts and life challenges.

Rocky
Movie, 1976
Rocky introduces the protagonist as a Philadelphia club fighter who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into the ring with a world heavyweight champion.

Rocky II
Movie, 1979
Rocky II follows the aftermath of the first bout as Rocky settles down with Adrian while the champion seeks a rematch to restore his reputation.

Read what its ending meant, or search for another franchise.
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Rocky III
Movie, 1982
Rocky III features an intense battle with Clubber Lang and leads Rocky to join forces with former rival Apollo Creed to get back his fighting spirit.

Rocky IV
Movie, 1985
Rocky IV presents a new challenger, Drago, backed by the Soviet Union, taking Rocky's training regimen to Siberia for a globally televised event.

Rocky V
Movie, 1990
Rocky V deals with the end of Rocky's career due to taking shots and being left broke by an accountant, finding glory in training an up-and-coming boxer.

Rocky Balboa
Movie, 2006
Rocky Balboa shows the retired fighter coming out of retirement for a 10-round exhibition bout against reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon.
| # | Title | Type | Year | Rating | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocky | Movie | 1976 | ★ 7.8 | Not yet |
| 2 | Rocky II | Movie | 1979 | ★ 7.3 | Not yet |
| 3 | Rocky III | Movie | 1982 | ★ 6.9 | Not yet |
| 4 | Rocky IV | Movie | 1985 | ★ 7.1 | Not yet |
| 5 | Rocky V | Movie | 1990 | ★ 5.8 | Not yet |
| 6 | Rocky Balboa | Movie | 2006 | ★ 6.9 | Not yet |
Average audience ratings, in watch order.
You should start with the original 1976 movie, Rocky, which introduces the main character and sets up his entire boxing journey and personal life.
Yes, release order is recommended because the films follow a continuous chronological progression of Rocky Balboa's life, career milestones, and personal struggles from youth to retirement.
None of the entries can be skipped, as each film builds directly upon the character development, life events, and career progression established in the previous installments.
Watch in this order: 1. Rocky, 2. Rocky II, 3. Rocky III, 4. Rocky IV, 5. Rocky V, 6. Rocky Balboa.
This guide lists 6 entries, released between 1976 and 2006.
Rocky has the highest average rating in this guide, at 7.8 out of 10.