Rocky
Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky in about three and a half days after watching a journeyman fighter last fifteen rounds against Muhammad Ali, and then refused to sell the screenplay unless he was allowed to star in it — turning down offers reportedly reaching six figures while nearly broke. The film was made cheaply, won Best Picture, and established an underdog template that sports cinema has followed ever since.
About Rocky
Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky in about three and a half days after watching a journeyman fighter last fifteen rounds against Muhammad Ali, and then refused to sell the screenplay unless he was allowed to star in it — turning down offers reportedly reaching six figures while nearly broke. The film was made cheaply, won Best Picture, and established an underdog template that sports cinema has followed ever since. The detail most often missed is that he loses. The first film ends with Rocky beaten on points, and the victory is that he is still standing, which is a considerably more interesting ending than the franchise's reputation suggests.
Stallone turned down large offers for the screenplay because they came without him attached as the lead.
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Key eras
| Era | Years | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| The original | 1976 | Written in days, made cheaply, won Best Picture. |
| Sequels | 1979–1990 | Four follow-ups of widening scale and diminishing realism. |
| Creed | 2015– | A revival centred on Apollo Creed's son. |