Talks of another true Rocky sequel have been swirling around for a while now, as Sylvester Stallone has teased and trolled the fans with ideas. While 2015's Creed helped reignite the franchise, one could argue that 2006’s Rocky Balboa truly helped to kick off this new era for the property. The sixth installment served as a comeback for both the titular character and the series as a whole, after the disappointment of 1990's Rocky V. Stallone holds a special place in his heart for Balboa and, more than a decade after its release, the actor is opening up about why the movie represents the "toughest challenge" he’s ever faced.
The Creed II actor was incredibly nostalgic when he took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes look at a training session for Rocky Balboa. He went all-in for the movie, and not just from a physical standpoint. In his post, he discussed just what it took to get the sequel made in the first place:
I love the sixth installment. It was the toughest challenge I ever had. Took over 12 years to make happen... No one wanted to make it. Absolutely no one. It was considered a joke. But in my heart I loved the idea and thought if I’m going to go out, I want to go out making this movie. Even though no one involved with the other previous productions wanted anything to do with it , and it finally made against all odds!!!
Despite the adversity he faced while developing the production, Sylvester Stallone was able to make the film he wanted. He knew the sequel would be what the viewers wanted to see from the aging boxer and, today, that story serves as the actor’s proudest moment. The Expendables alum went on to explain how the making of the 2006 flick compared to crafting the Oscar-winning first movie back in the '70s:
When people ask what is your most memorable film moment. Rocky Balboa, without a doubt. That was the ultimate challenge. The first Rocky of course was amazing… But this one was almost [an] impossible dream. I pushed that boulder uphill for 12 long years against overwhelming negativity until it finally happened… Almost by accident. Someday I’ll tell the whole story.
Hopefully, he will indeed tell the rest of that story someday. While the sixth movie did plenty for the franchise's legacy, the Academy Award-nominated star also gives it even more credit, as he attributes its success to the creation of Creed:
The irony is [if] Rocky Balboa had never been done, even though no one wanted to do it, the story of Creed would’ve never been made. My thanks to MGM. So, Keep Punching!
The Creed and Rocky franchises will be tied together forever due to the work of Sylvester Stallone, Ryan Coogler (who conceived the idea for the former) and many more. And MGM deserves credit for taking a chance on the punchy Philadelphia-bred fighter. If you want to see Stallone train with former professional boxer Antonio Tarver, you do so down below:
While he won’t appear in Creed III, the 75-year-old actor clearly still has plenty of love for his iconic character. He’s always sharing footage from classic installments or spilling BTS information, like the time he almost died while shooting Rocky IV. That loves extends to fans – both new and old – as seen through sweet public encounters. If you want to relive every moment of the boxing franchise, take a look at where Rocky Balboa and the other installments are streaming.
