Sylvester Stallone is writing a pitch for a Rocky prequel series. The seasoned action star has appeared in all eight films in the boxing franchise, including the Michael B. Jordan-led Creed and Creed II. Those two most recent films sparked a significant Rocky resurgence, bringing the franchise to a new generation of fans. Now, Stallone is hoping to take the story back to the beginning.
When the original Rocky was released in 1976, it instantly became a massive hit, earning 10 Academy Award nominations – including acting nods for Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young. The film went on to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. That smashing success spawned four sequels over the next decade and a half, most of which also saw widespread popular success if diminishing critical acclaim. The disappointment of Rocky V prompted an extended hiatus for the franchise, though it returned in stellar form in 2006 with Rocky Balboa and, subsequently, the Creed series.
Riding high off of the franchise’s continued success and the modern era of streaming, Sylvester Stallone announced on Instagram that he’s currently writing a pitch for a Rocky prequel series. The show would be set in the cultural zeitgeist of the 1960s and consist of “Ideally 10 episodes for a few seasons to really get to the heart of the Characters in their younger years,” Stallone wrote. Presumably, those core characters would be Rocky, Micky, Paulie, and Adrian, as Apollo Creed doesn’t meet Rocky until the first movie.
The idea of a Rocky streaming series is understandable given the success of similar shows like Cobra Kai, but it would present some unique challenges. The most compelling relationship in the original series is between Rocky and Adrian. Still, they don’t get to known one another until the first film, meaning that the whole story would need to be either left out or retconned. Paulie is also a pretty problematic character who constantly exhibits racist and xenophobic beliefs throughout the franchise. It would take a lot of work to make him compelling in the modern era.
For a Rocky prequel to work, it would likely need to focus more on Rocky and Micky during the boxer’s early career and introduce several new characters to flesh out the story. Apollo Creed could also potentially be brought in via a parallel but separate storyline. The 1960s are indeed a rich decade to set a show in, and there are plenty of social movements and thematic parallels that could be relevant in today’s world if they’re written into the story well. With Michael B. Jordan taking on directorial duties for Creed 3, the franchise’s future already looks strong. A Rocky prequel series could also be an exciting addition, but it remains to be seen if the project will come to fruition.
