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Watch order

Rocky and Creed movie watch order

MGM’s Rocky and Creed theatrical boxing saga—from Sylvester Stallone’s 1976 underdog classic through Ryan Coogler’s Adonis Creed trilogy. Release and Story list the same nine US premieres in identical order because in-fiction chronology matches premiere order. Sports-drama neighbors: Fast & Furious and Mission: Impossible.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each Rocky or Creed theatrical film opened in the US—from Rocky (November 21, 1976) through Creed III (March 3, 2023). Best first path: watch in premiere order so Rocky’s arc, the Drago rivalry, and Adonis’s legacy land as the franchise built them.

  • First watch → Release or Story: same nine-film order
  • Rocky only → Rocky through Rocky Balboa (2006)
  • Creed trilogy → after Rocky Balboa; Adonis arc
  • Rocky IV Director’s Cut → optional extended version; FAQ
Story order tips

Balboa-to-Creed saga—same nine films as Release in the same order. Philadelphia underdog → champion era → retirement → mentor to Adonis Creed. No alternate continuity branch on Story.

  • 1975–1979 → Rocky through Rocky II (title fights and family)
  • 1982–1990 → Rocky III through Rocky V (Clubber, Drago, Tommy Gunn)
  • 2006 → Rocky Balboa (comeback vs. Mason Dixon)
  • 2015–2023 → Creed trilogy (Adonis and legacy)

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Rocky

    Rocky

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    John G. Avildsen's 1976 Oscar winner launches Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa—a Philadelphia loan shark who gets a miracle shot at Apollo Creed's crown on the Fourth of July. Underdog sports drama that defined the franchise voice; opens both Release and Story.

    Overview
    Underdog sports drama that proved everyman heroes could carry blockbusters—the Philadelphia steps, Adrian romance, and Creed rematch grammar every sequel inherits.
    Related games
    Franchise origin on Release and Story. Next is Rocky II on both tabs. Neighbors: Terminator and Mad Max.
    Where it fits
    Start here on both tabs. Required before every sequel and Creed film; no alternate continuity branch skips this row.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 21, 1976 (United Artists).
  2. Rocky II

    Rocky II

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    Sylvester Stallone's 1979 directorial sequel deepens Rocky's marriage and grief—Adrian's pregnancy, Mickey's training, and a rematch with Carl Weathers's Apollo Creed for the belt prove the 1976 film was not a one-off. Second on both tabs; emotional continuation required before the MTV-era spectacle of Rocky III.

    Overview
    Emotional continuation that earns the champion-era pivot—Rocky wins the title here, which Clubber Lang will later strip away.
    Related games
    Sets up champion-era Rocky III. Apollo friendship thread continues through Rocky IV and echoes in the Creed trilogy.
    Where it fits
    Watch immediately after Rocky (1976) on both tabs. Do not jump to Creed without the full Balboa ladder if you want legacy payoff.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 16, 1979 (United Artists).
  3. Rocky III

    Rocky III

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    Stallone's 1982 chapter pits champ Rocky against Mr. T's Clubber Lang—Eye of the Tiger, Mickey's death, and Apollo as trainer pivot toward spectacle. Third on both tabs; required before Rocky IV and the Drago legacy Creed II pays off.

    Overview
    MTV-era montage peak and villain upgrade—Clubber Lang dethrones Rocky so Apollo's mentorship can reset the hero for international stakes.
    Related games
    Apollo mentorship thread continues into IV. Drago rivalry seeds Creed II later on this timeline—not optional flavor.
    Where it fits
    Required before Rocky IV Drago arc on both tabs. Skipping it loses Mickey's death and Apollo-as-trainer setup.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 28, 1982 (United Artists).
  4. Rocky IV

    Rocky IV

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    Stallone's 1985 Cold War boxing opera sends Rocky to avenge Apollo against Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago in Moscow—montage science, Paulie in Siberia, and a speech that became pop-culture shorthand for the whole franchise. Fourth on both tabs; Drago legacy feeds Creed II decades later on the same shelf.

    Overview
    Franchise pop-culture apex and the Drago thread Creed trilogy later closes. Director's Cut adds Apollo-fight context (FAQ)—optional, not a separate row.
    Related games
    Introduces Ivan Drago for Creed II. Next on both tabs is Rocky V; do not insert Creed films here.
    Where it fits
    Watch before Rocky V on both tabs. Required for Creed II Drago payoff if you plan to finish the nine-film shelf.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 27, 1985 (MGM/UA).
  5. Rocky V

    Rocky V

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    Stallone's 1990 downturn chapter strands brain-damaged Rocky training street fighter Tommy Gunn while finances collapse—a divisive fifth installment that many fans skip but stays canon on both tabs. Fifth on Release and Story; FAQ covers skip debate before Rocky Balboa soft-retcons the low point.

    Overview
    Street-level drama detour before the 2006 comeback—Tommy Gunn betrayal and financial ruin that Rocky Balboa later reframes without erasing.
    Related games
    Tommy Gunn arc; Rocky Balboa soft-retcons the low point. Still required for strict canon order on this page.
    Where it fits
    Completionists watch it fifth on both tabs; FAQ covers skip debate before Rocky Balboa. Quality-first viewers often pause after IV.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 16, 1990 (United Artists).
  6. Rocky Balboa

    Rocky Balboa

    TheatricalStreamingRocky sagaLive-action

    Stallone's 2006 legacy sequel gives aging Rocky a dignified coda—mourning Adrian, running her restaurant, and fighting champ Mason Dixon in a Vegas exhibition that made the Creed trilogy possible. Sixth on both tabs; bridge to Adonis era—watch before Creed (2015) for mentor grief and torch-passing beats.

    Overview
    Dignified coda that reopened the franchise without rebooting Balboa films—Rocky as mentor, not contender, sets Creed's emotional baseline.
    Related games
    Sets up Rocky-as-mentor for Creed films. Next on both tabs is Creed (2015)—seventh film, not a spin-off row.
    Where it fits
    Bridge to Adonis trilogy—watch before Creed (2015) on both tabs. Skipping it loses Rocky's late-career grief context.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release December 20, 2006 (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer).
  7. Creed

    Creed

    TheatricalStreamingCreed sagaLive-action

    Ryan Coogler's 2015 revival follows Apollo Creed's illegitimate son Adonis Johnson—Michael B. Jordan trains with Rocky in Philadelphia for a live-wire title path that honors Balboa lore without erasing it. Seventh on both tabs; soft reboot that starts the Creed trilogy after Rocky Balboa.

    Overview
    Soft reboot that passes the protagonist torch while keeping Stallone central—proof the brand survives with a next-gen fighter in every frame.
    Related games
    Adonis arc continues in Creed II. Apollo legacy thread assumes you know the original Rocky and Balboa coda.
    Where it fits
    Watch after Rocky Balboa (2006) on both tabs. Starts Creed trilogy; Drago payoff still requires Rocky IV earlier.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 25, 2015 (Warner Bros. / MGM).
  8. Creed II

    Creed II

    TheatricalStreamingCreed sagaLive-action

    Steven Caple Jr.'s 2018 sequel pits Adonis against Florian Munteanu's Viktor Drago—son of Ivan—while Rocky faces his own mortality in Russia's shadow, closing the Cold War thread Rocky IV opened in 1985. Eighth on both tabs; direct legacy payoff that rewards the full Balboa ladder.

    Overview
    Direct Rocky IV legacy payoff—Ivan and Viktor Drago return so the 1985 Moscow fight is not just nostalgia bait.
    Related games
    Ivan Drago returns; ties to 1985 Rocky IV. Next on both tabs is Creed III (2023)—franchise closer among released theatricals.
    Where it fits
    Watch after Creed on both tabs. Drago spin-off short film stays FAQ-only—not a US theatrical row.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release November 21, 2018 (MGM).
  9. Creed III

    Creed III

    TheatricalStreamingCreed sagaLive-action

    Michael B. Jordan's 2023 directorial chapter confronts Adonis with childhood friend Damian Anderson in a Japan-set grudge match—Stallone stays off screen as the Creed trilogy closes among released US theatricals. Ninth and final row on both Release and Story as of August 2026.

    Overview
    Creed trilogy closer among released theatricals—Adonis-led without Rocky on screen, proving the next-gen lane can stand alone.
    Related games
    Latest theatrical endpoint on this page. Future Creed or Rocky projects stay optional until they earn a premiere row.
    Where it fits
    Watch after Creed II on both tabs. Endpoint on Release and Story among released films; future projects stay FAQ notes.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release March 3, 2023 (MGM).

FAQ

Release equals Story for nine films, Rocky IV Director’s Cut optional, skipping Rocky V, Creed without Rocky, and Drago spin-off notes.

Watch order

For all nine theatrical films, Release and Story are the same—premiere order matches in-fiction chronology with no reboot branch or flashback anthology. Either tab works for a first watch.

Rocky V (1990) is fifth on both tabs and stays canon, but many fans skip it because of the downbeat street-fight plot. Rocky Balboa (2006) still makes sense—you miss Tommy Gunn setup and financial ruin beats. Completionists should keep it.

Yes for a surface watch—Creed reintroduces Apollo and Rocky. Better with at least Rocky, Rocky IV, and Rocky Balboa so Drago legacy and mentor grief land. Full nine-film order is ideal before Creed III.

Cuts & spin-offs

What's included

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.