The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
Direction
Coogler's single-take boxing match—pure adrenaline cinema.
Acting
Stallone's most vulnerable performance, Oscar-nominated and earned.
Cinematography
Gritty Philly streets that feel like characters themselves.
Director
Ryan Coogler
Michael B. Jordan
Adonis Johnson
Sylvester Stallone
Rocky Balboa
Tessa Thompson
Bianca
Phylicia Rashād
Mary Anne Creed
Andre Ward
Danny 'Stuntman' Wheeler
Tony Bellew
'Pretty' Ricky Conlan
Ritchie Coster
Pete Sporino
Jacob 'Stitch' Duran
Stitch
Graham McTavish
Tommy Holiday
Malik Bazille
Amir
Gabriel Rosado
Leo 'The Lion' Sporino
Wood Harris
Tony 'Little Duke' Burton
Buddy Osborn
Conlan's Cut Man
Rupal Pujara
Dr. Kathari
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The single-take fight was filmed in a real Philadelphia arena with hundreds of extras—Jordan actually got knocked out for real during one take.
Stallone only agreed to return if the film wasn't called 'Rocky VII,' finally letting the franchise breathe beyond him.
US
