It has been almost 20 years since the last Rocky movie, Rocky Balboa, was released. Now, there is finally talk of a seventh film in the iconic franchise. Sylvester Stallone stated in 2019 that a sequel was in development, but preproduction had yet to begin.
It’s clear that there’s still widespread interest in the Rocky franchise, which continues to thrive with spinoffs and games. Now could be the ideal time to release another installment in this legendary series to appease new and long-time fans.
Rocky Franchise Continues to Expand
Despite it being a long time since the release of the last Rocky picture, the franchise remains well-known across popular culture. Indeed, there has even been a recent Rocky game release at the online casino site from Paddy Power. The new title features imagery from the 1976 picture and its sequels, designed to evoke nostalgia in fans and even attract new audiences to the series.
The Rocky franchise has already spawned a highly successful spinoff series, Creed, which has been running for three pictures since its initial release in 2015. These films have been commercially successful, and a fourth Creed movie is in the works, with Michael B. Jordan set to return as Adonis “Donnie” Creed. It’s clear that the Rocky franchise is open to expansions, which is why it’s highly likely that there will be new titles in the future.
Stallone Posted Glimpse of Script in 2023
There has long been talk of Rocky 7, but it seems to have been stuck in development for years. ScreenRant believes now is the time for it to finally get made, though, with Amazon exploring ways to expand the franchise.
Stallone has already been working on the script as well, and he posted a glimpse of it on Instagram in 2023. However, this was swiftly deleted and only served to tease fans further. The main problem has been Stallone’s relationship with producer Irwin Winkler, who does not want to work with the filmmaker anymore. However, now that Amazon is involved, this may no longer be a problem.
Prequel Series in the Works on Amazon Prime
Along with a potential seventh film, Empire reported that there’s a prequel series on the way. Stallone has been working on this script since 2019 as well but, like his seventh film, was having difficulty getting it greenlit.
This is set to change with Amazon now on board, and it could end up being the first of many new series on the streaming platform. Amazon clearly realises that it has a potential hit franchise on its hands, and wants to maximise its value.
Rocky 7 has been teased for many years, but it could finally be about to happen. With Amazon holding the rights to the franchise, there are grand plans to bring new films and series to both old and new fans!
