The Rocky 4 Director's Cut Is Almost Finished, Says Stallone
Writer and director Sylvester Stallone says that Rocky IV: The Director's Cut is nearly finished. Stallone wrote and starred in the original Rocky in 1976 and has returned to the franchise several times since. In 1985, he wrote and directed Rocky IV, which found Rocky fighting a Russian boxer named Ivan Drago, who killed Rocky's best friend, Apollo Creed, in an exhibition match. The film was a commercial success, making $300 million worldwide, becoming the most profitable of the series.
Stallone announced that he was working on a director's cut of the film back in July and has since shared numerous updates as it's progressed. Stallone is making a number of cuts and additions, with one of the more controversial ones being the loss of Paulie's robot. The robot in question is a gift for Paulie's birthday and serves as the funniest part of the film. However, Stallone seems to be going for a more gritty and balanced approach with the director's cut, which isn't his first time releasing such a thing.
Speaking in a video on Instagram, Stallone says that they are in the final pass of Rocky IV with Dolby, which suggests the sound mix is nearly complete as the film prepares to step into the ring (again) in November. The inspiration for the post came from Stallone driving past his old residence, where he zooms in on the window of the room where he wrote the original Rocky in 1976. It's a trip down memory lane for the actor, as well as an update on the project, which represents a long career legacy of the famed character. Check out Stallone's account below for the full video:
While Stallone ended the Rocky series with 2006's Rocky Balboa, it wasn't the end of the road for the character. Balboa returned, this time as a trainer, in both of the Creed films, starring Michael B. Jordan. Effectively a spinoff of Rocky, Creed follows the son of Rocky's best friend Apollo as he embarks on his own boxing career. Balboa becomes a friend and mentor to Creed, with Creed viewing Rocky as the father he never had. Creed II drew a lot of story aspects from Rocky IV, serving almost as a sequel to the film in many regards. While Stallone isn't expected to reprise his role in Creed III, which Michael B. Jordan will direct, the legacy of the Rocky will continue regardless.
Stallone has previously released director's cuts of his films, including Rambo, Rambo: Last Blood, and The Expendables. Typically, the films are given more heft and detail than the theatrical cuts, but none of them have particularly changed the overall film itself in any drastic way. With the Rocky IV: Director's Cut, however, it does feel like Stallone is aiming for something very different than what we saw originally, as he's said that the film was never really complete. Given the time that's passed since the film was released and the growth that Stallone has had in all regards of his life, the film is sure to be a reflection of his cumulative experiences in Hollywood and in life as it pertains to the film. However it shapes up, audiences will be able to ring the bell again when the Rocky IV: Director's Cut heads to theaters in November.
Source: Sylvester Stallone