Warning: SPOILERS for Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago Director’s Cut
Sylvester Stallone has released the much-anticipated Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago and here’s every new scene he added to his iconic film. Stallone originally wrote, directed, and starred in Rocky IV back in 1985. In this sequel, Rocky Balboa faced the greatest challenge of his career when he fought Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a towering Russian monster who murdered Rocky’s best friend, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in the ring. Stallone’s new version heightens Apollo’s importance to Rocky and to the film.
Rocky IV is the favorite film of many longtime Rocky fans because of its straightforward, almost superheroic story of Balboa avenging his fallen best friend. Indeed, Rocky IV goes even farther than Rocky III did with its hyper-kinetic boxing action and MTV-style training montages set to the pulse-pounding song “Hearts on Fire” by John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band. But in recent years, Stallone revealed his dissatisfaction with Rocky IV and specifically, his decision to kill off the popular Apollo Creed, which he now regrets doing. And yet, it’s Apollo’s death that spurs Rocky on to fight Drago in what’s arguably the most thrilling of all of Rocky Balboa’s boxing matches. Thankfully, Stallone wisely kept the most important and beloved moments of Rocky IV: James Brown singing “Living in America,” Apollo’s fatal fight with Drago, Rocky’s training montage in Russia, and the climactic Rocky versus Drago fight intact in his director’s cut.
But Sylvester Stallone did make numerous changes to Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago, both minor and significant. Stallone excised scenes he never liked, such as when Paulie (Burt Young) got a robot for his birthday (and all of the robot-related scenes). The director also added new footage to many scenes, inserting dialogue or previously cut moments to reveal more dimensions to characters like Rocky’s wife, Adrian (Talia Shire). More impactfully, Stallone restored entire scenes that were previously left on the cutting room floor, and he also altered the unforgettable ending of Rocky IV so that the film ends on a slightly different note and feel than the 1985 theatrical version. Most importantly, Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago emphasized the brotherhood between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in ways that are clearer than it was in the original film. Here are all of the major new scenes in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky IV director’s cut and how they change the movie.
Rocky vs. Drago Opens With Extended Rocky III Scenes
![Rocky 4 Director’s Cut Differences: Every New Scene & Story Change](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Apollo-Rocky-III.jpg)
Like the 1985 version, Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago opens with a recap of Rocky III and Balboa’s victory over Clubber Lang (Mr. T). However, Rocky vs. Drago‘s Rocky III scenes that open the film last a full six minutes. Beginning with Rocky losing to Clubber, Stallone inserts footage of a depressed Rocky riding his motorcycle and throwing his helmet at the Rocky Balboa statue erected to honor him. Stallone then shows Apollo finding Rocky at Mickey Goldmill’s (Burgess Meredith) gym and telling him he needs to get back the “eye of the tiger.” Rocky vs. Drago then cuts to the second fight between Balboa and Lang where Apollo is in Rocky’s corner as his trainer. Rocky beats Clubber in the third round to become a two-time heavyweight champion, but instead of the hit song “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, Stallone plays “The Sweetest Victory” by Touch (which is actually from the Rocky IV soundtrack) over the closing moments of Rocky III.
Restoring so much Rocky and Apollo-focused footage from Rocky III is meant to remind audiences of their friendship and set up what happens next in Rocky IV. Curiously, no mention is made of the final and arguably most crucial moment from Rocky III‘s ending: the secret third fight between Balboa and Creed. Rocky IV‘s 1985 version shows Rocky coming home from that fight (without saying who won), but Sylvester Stallone cut that scene and all mentions of the Creed/Balboa fight entirely.
New Apollo Scene Sets Up Why He Wants To Fight Drago
![Rocky vs Drago Apollo New Scene](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-vs-Drago-Apollo-New-Scene.jpg)
After Apollo watches the press conference introducing Ivan Drago from his swimming pool, as he did in Rocky IV 1985, Rocky vs. Drago cuts to all-new footage of Balboa and Creed in the backyard of Rocky’s mansion. Stallone cut all of the footage of Paulie getting a robot for his birthday and the subsequent scene of Balboa washing his car and getting a phone call from Apollo that he took from the robot. In the new scene, Apollo plays with a football while he tells Rocky his reasons why he wants to fight Ivan Drago. Creed coats his rationale with patriotism about Russians coming to America to make the USA look bad. Apollo also accuses Drago’s wife, Ludmilla (Bridgitte Nielsen), of creating propaganda that “Drago is a great guy” to win public favor with women. Rocky invites Apollo to dinner because Adrian cooked and Creed says he can’t “pass up a great Italian meal.”
Rocky And Adrian Talk About Apollo In The Kitchen
![Rocky And Adrian Kitchen](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-And-Adrian-Kitchen.jpg)
After dinner, Adrian expresses her opinion that Apollo fighting Drago would be a mistake and Stallone adds extra dialogue to help Rocky’s loving wife hammer her point home. Adrian excuses herself and Rocky follows her to the kitchen. In a brand new scene, Rocky asks Adrian if she’s mad, but she isn’t. Instead, Adrian succinctly points out that Apollo “wants to be loved” and he really desires a fight with Drago to reclaim the spotlight he desperately misses after five years in retirement. Adrian also tells Rocky that this fight won’t happen if he doesn’t back it. The new scene gives Adrian more agency because she is ultimately right, which is a refreshing change from how generally absent Rocky’s wife was in the 1985 Rocky IV.
Afterward, Rocky and Apollo watch footage of their fight from Rocky II, and the scene generally plays out the way it did in the original Rocky IV, but Stallone makes some glaring cuts to the dialogue. However, Apollo’s crucial speech that they’re “warriors… and without some war to fight, then the warrior may as well be dead, Stallion” is intact and pays off later in the film.
Drago Speaks More And Reveals His Character
![Drago Water](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Drago-Water.jpg)
Apollo’s press conference with Drago plays out slightly differently as Sylvester Stallone uses alternate takes of Creed mocking his Russian opponent. Stallone also adds more dialogue from Rocky, who jokes that with Apollo, he can’t get a word in edgewise before Balboa’s quip that Creed will need a ladder to fight Drago. But the crucial new addition to this scene is when the previously silent Drago speaks at the press conference. Drinking from a glass of water, Drago promises, “I did not come here to lose,” and it’s evident Ivan takes Apollo’s taunts and insults even more personally than he did in Rocky IV‘s 1985 cut.
After Drago kills Apollo, there’s a revelatory new addition as Drago is interviewed where he declares, “Soon the whole world will know my name: Drago!” Stallone also adds an insert where Ivan’s speech stops his handler, Nicolai Koloff (Michael Pataki) in his tracks. This sets up that Drago is actually a rogue who the Russians don’t have under control and it pays off later in the Balboa fight when Ivan doesn’t listen to and defies his trainers.
Changes To Apollo’s Death and Rocky’s Tearful Speech At Creed’s Funeral
![Rocky Apollo Funeral](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-Apollo-Funeral.jpg)
Apollo’s Rocky IV death plays out in Rocky vs. Drago with only minor tweaks: Stallone adds glimpses of Creed attempting a futile counterattack before Drago kills him and the director reframes Rocky refusing to throw the towel (since Apollo asked him not to) so that Balboa ultimately drops it just as Creed fell for good. There’s also new dialogue where Rocky pleads with Creed to stop the fight, saying, “Don’t do this to me!” — making the pivotal decision to save Creed something Rocky chose not to do.
In the 1985 Rocky IV cut, Balboa mourns silently at Apollo’s funeral but Rocky vs. Drago‘s touching service for the great fighter is perhaps the new cut’s best addition. Duke (Tony Burton) gives a stirring speech about Apollo being a warrior, which pays off Creed’s words to Rocky earlier in the film. Rocky then gives his own eulogy, acknowledging that his success wouldn’t be possible without Apollo, who believed in him when no one else would. Balboa breaks down in tears and says “I really loved you” before he places Creed’s heavyweight championship belt on a bouquet of flowers. Afterward, Adrian tries to console Rocky that Apollo’s death wasn’t his fault, but Rocky feels otherwise.
Boxing Commissioners Ban Rocky From Fighting Drago
![Rocky IV Commissioners](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-IV-Commissioners.jpg)
Another all-new scene is Rocky attending a meeting with a group of boxing commissioners who admonish and ban him for wanting to fight Ivan Drago. The commissioners remind Rocky of their “rules” and how he’s subject to them, but Balboa walks out on their meeting. The addition of this scene doesn’t add much to the film since it’s explained quickly in dialogue in both Rocky vs. Drago and Rocky IV‘s 1985 cut that Balboa surrendered the heavyweight championship to fight Drago in Russia.
Adrian And Rocky Have A Farewell Before He Goes To Russia
![Rocky Leaves Adrian](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-Leaves-Adrian.jpg)
After the stairwell scene where Adrian tells Rocky, “You can’t win!” and Balboa’s driving montage of flashbacks set to “There’s No Easy Way Out” by Robert Tepper, Rocky talks to his young son Robert the morning he leaves for Russia. Rocky tells his son that sometimes he has to do what’s right for himself even if it’s something other people think is wrong. It’s interesting to frame this talk with how Rocky and Robert have a falling out when the son is older in Rocky V and Rocky Balboa.
Sylvester Stallone adds another new scene where Adrian asks Rocky to stay but Balboa says goodbye and leaves for Russia. This moment is a more touching and emotional parting between the two compared to their cold and silent separation when Rocky leaves in the 1985 film.
Rocky’s Inner Monologue And Changes To His Drago Fight
![Rocky Inner Monologue](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-Inner-Monologue.jpg)
Rocky’s training in Moscow set to “Hearts on Fire” is thankfully intact with just minor additions like a comedy beat from Paulie. Rocky’s climactic fight with Drago also plays out as it does in the 1985 Rocky IV but with a few notable new additions: After Rocky is knocked down in the first round, Sylvester Stallone adds a voiceover of Balboa’s inner monologue for the first time where Rocky tells himself, “Get up! Don’t be scared.” There’s also more dialogue between Drago and his cornermen who admonish Ivan for not following their instructions throughout the fight. Before the 15th and final round begins, a new moment is added where one of the Russian fight officials tries to stop the fight in favor of Drago by claiming that Rocky is too “hurt” to continue. Duke then sends him away by pointing at Drago and saying, “He’s hurt too!”
Stallone Changes The Music And Rocky’s Ending Speech
![Rocky IV Victory](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Rocky-IV-Victory.jpg)
After winning over the Russian crowd, Rocky knocks out Drago in the 15th round for the victory. But Sylvester Stallone uses almost entirely new and different takes for Balboa’s pivotal victory speech. In 1985’s Rocky IV, Balboa acknowledged the crowd cheering for him and made it the basis of his “If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!” remarks. But in Rocky vs. Drago, Stallone reframes Rocky’s dialogue about the Russians cheering for Rocky and makes it all about Apollo. Now, Rocky says, “My best friend says people don’t change. He died,” before Balboa launches into how “everybody can change!” to rapturous applause. Surprisingly, Rocky doesn’t wish his son “Merry Christmas!” as he does in the 1985 cut of Rocky IV, which is an odd bit for Stallone to cut. In fact, the director excised all the cutaways to young Robert watching his dad fight Drago in the United States.
The most surprising change Sylvester Stallone makes to Rocky vs. Drago‘s ending is substituting Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III as the song that closes out the film instead of “Hearts on Fire.” By using “Eye of the Tiger,” Stallone once more spiritually evokes Apollo as the reason the events of the film happened and why Rocky did what he did. And instead of ending on the emotional high of Rocky’s victory with “Hearts of Fire,” Stallone shows Rocky going over to the defeated Drago and showing him respect (and vice versa) before Balboa leaves the ring with Adrian, Tony, and Paulie. Thus, the emotion of Rocky vs. Drago’s ending curiously feels a bit more subdued, although “Hearts on Fire” does return midway over the closing credits.
Key Release Dates
Creed 3
Release Date:2023-03-03