Last year, Sylvester Stallone announced that while in lockdown he was working a new edit of his 1985 movie, Rocky IV, which should be his definitive directors cut of the movie. Stallone has been actively keeping fans in the loop with his progress on the project and with the movie’s November release date approaching, his latest update included not just a bit about the movie but a photo of himself and co-star Dolph Lundgren that he called “very rare” and from the sound of it one that he had almost forgotten about himself.
Posting the image on Instagram, Sylvester Stallone commented that the photo reminded him of an old fight poster then went on to discuss his latest bit of information on the movie, which involved word on the new trailer for his cut.
“I came across this very rare photo that I’ve never seen it before, it just reminded me of an old fight poster from 100 years ago,” Stallone wrote. “Well, I just saw the NEW trailer for the new directors cut of Rocky IV. And in my humble estimation it is amazing. Great work by the trailer editors! This battle, with the new footage is extraordinary. Premiering in Philadelphia November 11!”
Written, directed and starring Stallone as the title character for a fourth time, Rocky IV was released in 1985 and probably one of the poorest received by many fans and critics, which has led to Stallone’s desire to recut the film now. The movie saw Rocky take on Ivan Drago (Lundgren) after Drago fights and kills Rocky’s best friend and former opponent Apollo Creed. Rocky fights Drago in the Soviet Union as a means to avenge Creed’s death and defend his country’s honor in the process.
The new version of the movie will run under the title of Rocky Vs Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut and not only that but at the same time a full-length documentary detailing a behind the scenes look at how the Director’s cut was created will also be released called Keep Punching: The Present Meets The Past. Speaking in footage from the documentary, Stallone was previous said saying, “If you can go back to recut your film, I guarantee you you would approach it with a sensitivity and a wisdom, and a confidence, ‘oh, why didn’t I see that before?’ All of us are entitled to follow our dreams, to stick to our beliefs, because in the end that’s all you have and if you keep believing in that eventually your dreams will come true.”
With Stallone set to make his first ever convention appearance with Arnold Schwarzenegger later this year, and talk of The Expendables 4 coming along, it is quite a time for Stallone fans, and the icon is always one who seems more than happy to keep giving what his audience demands. With that in mind, while Stallone may be done with his onscreen appearances with Rocky now, it is certainly not the last that we have seen of him by any means Rocky Vs Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut will be released on November 11.