Rocky IV

He Could Have Stopped The Fight. He Could Have Saved His Best Friend’s Life. But Now, The Only Thing He Can’t Do Is Walk Away…

Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by and staring Sylvester Stallone, the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise. In the movie, Rocky Balboa plans to retire from boxing after regaining his title from Clubber Lang in Rocky III. An unknown amateur boxer from the Soviet Union, Ivan Drago (played by Dolph Lundgren), makes a bid to enter the U.S. boxing ranks. After an exhibition match with Apollo Creed goes tragically wrong, Rocky must step in and challenge the Russian boxer himself to avenge the passing of his friend.


The “Iron Curtain” is starting to come down around the Soviet Union under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. A Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago, nicknamed “The Siberian Express”, comes to the United States with his wife, a Russian champion swimmer and coach for a guest match. Drago is a superbly conditioned boxer who has been scientifically trained in the USSR, and he & his coach propose a fight against Rocky Balboa. Rocky’s former adversary, Apollo Creed decides to take on Drago despite having been out of the ring for several years. Creed unwisely taunts Drago before the match, and after the first round, Drago issues a prophetic warning to Creed: “You will lose.” Unfortunately the warning comes true and Creed dies following a pounding by the Siberian Express. When death threats are made against the Russian boxer, he returns to the USSR and states if there is to be a match between Balboa & Drago, it will be in the USSR. To honor Creed’s memory, Rocky takes the Soviets up on their challenge and goes to Siberia to train for the match against the “Siberian Express”, that will take place in Moscow on Christmas Day, in front of a hostile audience.

if he dies …. he dies.

Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Produced by Robert Chartoff
Irwin Winkler
Written by Sylvester Stallone
Starring Sylvester Stallone
Talia Shire
Burt Young
Carl Weathers
Tony Burton
Brigitte Nielsen
Dolph Lundgren
Music by Vince DiCola
Themes by
Bill Conti
Cinematography Bill Butler
Editing by John W. Wheeler
Don Zimmerman
Studio United Artists
Distributed by MGM/UA Entertainment Co. (USA)
United International Pictures (Non-USA)
Release date(s) November 27, 1985
Running time 90 min
Country United States
Language English
Russian
Budget US$ 31,000,000
Preceded by Rocky III
Followed by Rocky V