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Rocky and Creed Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Rocky and Creed movies in order

Last updated: August 10 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Rocky and Creed form one of the most enduring sports-movie sagas ever made, following two generations of fighters through triumph, failure, and reinvention. Release order is the best way to watch the franchise because every new chapter builds on the legacy of the last.

What began with an underdog boxer from Philadelphia in 1976 eventually grew into a multi-generation story about legacy, mentorship, family pressure, and what it means to keep getting back up. Rocky's journey changes across the original films, and the Creed entries become even richer when you understand exactly who Adonis is stepping into the ring for. This is a franchise where callbacks matter, old rivalries return with new meaning, and emotional context turns training montages into something much bigger. Watching in order gives you the full sweep of that evolution.

πŸ• Release Order

Release order is the ideal watch order because it preserves both the rise of Rocky Balboa and the handoff to the Creed era. You get to see the mythology expand naturally instead of learning the legacy backward.

  1. Rocky (1976)
  2. Rocky II (1979)
  3. Rocky III (1982)
  4. Rocky IV (1985)
  5. Rocky V (1990)
  6. Rocky Balboa (2006)
  7. Creed (2015)
  8. Creed II (2018)
  9. Creed III (2023)

The good news is that Rocky and Creed have a very clean timeline. Aside from flashbacks and changing generations, the story progresses in a straight line from one fight to the next.

πŸ“– Story Chronology

Story chronology is effectively the same as release order because the franchise follows Rocky and later Adonis forward through their careers and personal lives. A straight film-by-film watch gives you the intended emotional payoff.

  1. Rocky (1976)
  2. Rocky II (1979)
  3. Rocky III (1982)
  4. Rocky IV (1985)
  5. Rocky V (1990)
  6. Rocky Balboa (2006)
  7. Creed (2015)
  8. Creed II (2018)
  9. Creed III (2023)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Choose release order without question. Starting with the original Rocky makes every sequel, comeback, and Creed-era emotional beat hit much harder. Even if you came here for Michael B. Jordan's entries, the franchise works best when you earn them through the full Balboa journey first.

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Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!