We regret to announce the passing of the esteemed American actor, Carl Weathers, at the age of 76. He departed peacefully in his sleep on the morning of February 1st, 2024, as confirmed by his family. Beyond the boxing ring of Rocky, Carl made his mark with roles in films like Predator and Action Jackson, showcasing his versatile talent. Even if you’re not a huge boxing fan, chances are, you’ve been drawn into the drama of the Rocky movies. These films have a way of pulling you in, boxing fan or not.
In remembrance of Carl, let’s look back at Rummys Corner’s take on the Rocky sequels where Carl’s Apollo shines. Carl Weathers may have left us, but his legacy through these memorable roles will keep him in our hearts forever. Rest in peace, Carl. Your performances will always be remembered.
The original Rocky was released way back in 1976. It had a budget of $1 million, and it earned $225 million in global box office receipts, marking it as the highest grossing motion picture of 1976. The massive popularity was matched by critic reactions, where Rocky received favorable reviews. It was also an award winning picture, having received ten Oscar nominations, and ultimately winning three awards including Best Picture, Best Director (John G Avildsen), and Best Film Editing.
One of the reasons the original Rocky was beloved by so many largely stemmed from good old fashioned storytelling. All of the main characters – Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), Adrian (Talia Shire), Paulie (Burt Young), Mickey (Burgess Meredith), and even ‘Master of Disaster’ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) – they all had their fair share of flaws, but at the end of the day they were also very likable characters who were very easy for people to relate with.
These central core cast members who brought life to these terrific characters are what enabled this franchise to evolve and develop as it did so splendidly over a 30 year period where five sequels were released, the most recent sixth installment, Rocky Balboa, being released in 2006. And beyond that, the character of Rocky still even lives on today, in the spin-off movies series Creed. The original Creed was released in 2015, and Creed 2 is scheduled for theatrical release in the US on November 21 later this year. But the focus of this video is the six films from the Rocky franchise.
This edition of Rummy’s Corner attempts to rank all of the Rocky sequels from worst to first, while providing some general commentary on all six films in the franchise. To get one person’s opinion on how they rank, please watch and enjoy the video.