The highly anticipated Rocky IV director's cut has been revealed in an epic new trailer, showing new footage of Rocky Balboa, Ivan Drago, Apollo Creed, and more. Seen by many as the greatest fight in the entire Rocky franchise, the battle of Rocky vs. Drago first premiered in 1985, earning over $300 million worldwide on a budget of just $28 million. While it may not be the greatest overall film in the series, Rocky IV is unequivocally still a classic.
Because of the numerous disappointments of Rocky V – a film some would rather pretend doesn’t exist – Rocky IV is in some ways the culmination of the original series. The story of Rocky IV came back in a big way in Creed II, which saw Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) battling the son of Ivan Drago, with Dolph Lundgren also returning to face off with Sylvester Stallone once again. Now, the original duel between Rocky and Drago is coming back to theaters for a limited release of the new director’s cut.
A new trailer for the Rocky IV director’s cut, features glimpses at the added footage, The new cut adds a purported 40 minutes to the film’s overall runtime, and the trailer does a great job of building excitement for the Rocky vs. Drago fight all over again. The director’s cut of Rocky IV will have a one-night-only theatrical premiere on November 11, followed by a digital release on November 12.
One of the biggest additions in the Rocky IV director’s cut is an extended version of the fight between Apollo and Drago, which promises to be even more exciting this time around. Paulie’s robot from the original Rocky IV has also been cut. Hopefully, Stallone’s new version of Rocky IV will be the perfect way to watch the classic film, and it won’t be too long before fans can judge the final product for themselves.
The Rocky IV director’s cut isn’t the only Rocky project Stallone has been working on lately either. The series creator has also said that he’s working on a Rocky prequel series set prior to the events of the original Oscar-winning film, which he wants to be produced for streaming in the future. Creed III also on the horizon, though Stallone won’t feature in it on screen. For anyone waiting for the next movie, or anyone just looking for a healthy batch of action-packed nostalgia, the Rocky IV director’s cut looks like an exciting return to a cinematic classic.
Source: MGM