Rocky has something in common with the Hellraiser movies. That’s probably not a sentence you thought you’d ever read, but it’s true. Both these films aren’t what you think they’re going to be. You think Hellraiser’s going to be a gory slasher movie when it’s actually a nasty body horror movie, and Rocky pulls the same trick.
No, it’s not a secret body horror, although we’d definitely watch a Cronenberg movie set in the Rocky-verse — maybe Rocky fights a man who’s slowly turning into a punching bag — it’s just not the film you think it’s going to be. Rocky isn’t the triumphant sports film about an underdog winning the grand prize against the odds (that’s the sequel). It’s a drama movie about trying your hardest and getting back up when you’re knocked down.
Both films also have way more scenes set in pet shops than you’d expect, with Rocky’s love interest, Adrian, working in one. Rocky makes frequent stops in the shop to buy food for his beloved turtles, but Sly didn’t have to try very hard to fall in love with them because he adopted them after filming.
The turtles, Cuff and Link, now live a life of luxury with Stallone and even made a cameo appearance in the Creed movies. Back in 2019, Stallone shared a picture on his Instagram of the pair, and they seem to be doing very well.
“In Creed 2 with my original buddies from the first Rocky … Cuff and Lin, now about 44 years old!” he wrote.
Check out Sly and his turtles below:
If you love Stallone, check out our list of the best action movies, or if you want to know more about the next chapter in the Rocky spin-off, we have a guide to the Creed 3 release date.