Warning: SPOILERS for Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Drago Director's Cut.

Sylvester Stallone's Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago director's cut saved Adrian Balboa's (Talia Shire) role in the film and gave Rocky's wife greater importance. Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in the original Rocky IV in 1985 but 35 years later, he has re-edited the classic boxing film. Rocky's creator cut scenes he was never happy with and he added never-bef0re-seen footage that refocused Rocky IV to be about the brotherhood between Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). But thanks to scenes involving Adrian Stallone restored, Rocky's wife comes across much stronger than she did in the original Rocky IV.

Adrian was reduced to being a background character in 1985's Rocky IV. Her original role was simply to disapprove of Apollo's plan to fight Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and then become fearful and furious at Rocky for agreeing to fight Drago after the Russian killed Apollo. Adrian doesn't accompany her husband to Russia at first, but after some time, she arrives unannounced to give Rocky her blessing, telling him that she'll stand by him "no matter what." But, as it is in every Rocky movie, it's because he has Adrian's love and full support that Balboa throws himself into his training and gets into superhuman shape to fight and defeat Drago. Of course, Adrian is by Rocky's side after he knocks Drago out and addresses the Russian audience who cheered "The Italian Stallion" to his ultimate triumph.

Related: Is Rocky 4 Director's Cut Better? Why Stallone's Redo Isn't As Good

The additional scenes Sylvester Stallone wove into Rocky vs. Drago does wonders for Adrian's character in Rocky IV. Her first appearance is an expansion of the Balboas having dinner with Apollo when he makes his pitch to fight Ivan Drago in an exhibition match. Stallone restores Adrian's dialogue where she likens Apollo's scheme to "the Middle Ages" before she excuses herself to the kitchen. Rocky follows her into a brand-new scene where Adrian correctly deduces that Apollo doesn't want to defend America's honor against Ivan Drago and Russia, as he claims. Adrian is right that "Apollo wants to be loved," he's seeking this fight to recapture his faded glory, and it all sounds like "a bad publicity stunt." Adrian also tells Rocky, "All this won't happen if you don't back it." After consulting with Adrian, Rocky has all the info he needs to make the right decision, but he still acquiesces Apollo's wishes and agrees to train Creed to fight Drago. Of course, it ended in Apollo's tragic death, just as Adrian feared something bad would happen.

Adrian and Rocky in a funeral

Adrian gets more new dialogue during Apollo's funeral when she tells her distraught husband that Creed's death wasn't Rocky's fault. Adrian's next major scene is when she confronts Rocky after she learns he accepted a fight with Drago. Adrian explodes and tells Rocky, "You can't win!" and Stallone gives her back more dialogue expressing her fears. The broken Rocky admits, "Adrian always tells the truth," and leaves to clear his head with a long drive. In another new scene, Adrian pleads with Rocky not to leave for Russia, and this tender moment fixes how cold and distant their parting was in Rocky IV's 1985 cut.

With 35 years of hindsight, Sylvester Stallone went back and gave Adrian the agency and credence she lacked in the original version of Rocky IV. Perhaps Stallone also did so because Adrian was already dead by the time he directed 2006's Rocky Balboa and appeared in the Creed films, and Sly missed the vital relationship between Rocky and his beloved wife. Thanks to Stallone's redo of Adrian's role in Rocky IV, she comes off once again as the crucial character Adrian is always supposed to be in the Rocky films, rather than an afterthought. Rocky can't win without Adrian's support but Sylvester Stallone's Rocky IV director's cut is definitely a win for Adrian Balboa.

Next: Rocky 4 Director's Cut Differences: Every New Scene & Story Change

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