Overview: Relive every punch from one of the most iconic and beloved sports drama franchises with the ROCKY I-VI 4K Collection, newly remastered in stunning 4K Ultra HD. Sylvester Stallone stars in the greatest boxing saga of all time and triumphs as one of the most inspirational characters in cinematic history.

Witness every epic, action packed fight and unforgettable moment as Rocky punches his way to the top against impossible odds when the ROCKY I-VI 4K Collection is released on July 16, 2024.

The ROCKY I-VI 4K Collection includes the MGM feature films ROCKY, ROCKY II, ROCKY III, ROCKY IV, ROCKY V and ROCKY BALBOA, along with the ROCKY IV Ultimate Director’s Cut, ROCKY VS. DRAGO and the ROCKY BALBOA Director’s Cut.

The collection contains a Blu-ray disc featuring the hour-long behind the scenes documentary on the making of the extended director’s cut of ROCKY IV, Sylvester Stallone’s commentary on ROCKY BALBOA along with an alternate ending, deleted scenes and four behind the scenes featurettes from the film. The disc also includes a selection of previously released special features.

In addition, ROCKY V and ROCKY BALBOA will be available individually in steelbook packaging.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the always-a-pleasure-to-view Rocky 6-Film Collection (4K Ultra HD + Digital) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this July 16th, 2024.

For my money, this Rocky 6-Film Collection (4K Ultra HD + Digital) sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have are the first six films in the series presented to us over 7-Disc’s with a sheet for a Digital HD Copies. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 and Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

As for the audio, well we get the choice of: Rocky 4K: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps) and Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.

Rocky II 4K: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps).

Rocky III 4K: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps).

Rocky IV 4K: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit), French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps), Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) and Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps).

Subtitles: English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, and Dutch.

Overall, these are all very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentations, and, for the most part, the audio tracks remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the stories to hand, well, first up is the leader of the pack, Rocky (1976). This rousing underdog tale from writer/star Sylvester Stallone and director John G. Avildsen struck a chord with audiences around the world and won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. When flamboyant heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) announces a Bicentennial bout in Philadelphia, local pug boxer Rocky Balboa (Stallone) gets a dream shot at taking the title.

Rocky is a terrific film in every aspect. The acting is what amazed me the most. Stallone gives such an impressive performance it is very hard to believe he is also the star of films like Over the Top, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and Judge Dredd, and from the other Rocky films for that matter.

Not only Stallone is impressive, Shire, Young and Meredith find perfect notes for their characters as well. Every little thing that happens seems natural through their acting and of course Stallone’s screenplay does a great job here.

Director John G. Avildsen serves this material the way he should and it shows throughout. Of course, he is no Martin Scorsese, for Raging Bull stays the better directed film, but he knows how to tell this story.

Next up is Rocky II (1979) where Rocky is struggling in family life after his bout with Apollo Creed, while the embarrassed champ insistently goads him to accept a challenge for a rematch.

Rocky II is just one of those sequels that is just as good as the original, if not better in some aspects. I can’t say it’s better than the original, because you can’t have the second film without the first one. Meaning that this film does not stand on it’s own, you need the first film to understand the characters and back stories of everything in this film. But, all in all, I think Rocky II is slightly more enjoyable than the original Rocky without outshining it.

In all honesty, I think this film is better directed than the first film. The story seems to flow quite nicely and is slightly faster paced than the original. Not only that, but the main fight in the film is much more exciting and longer than the original one, which is nicer for us to view.

Then we get Rocky III (1982) where Rocky faces the ultimate challenge from a powerful new contender, and must turn to a former rival to help regain his throne as the undisputed fighting champion.

For a series as long running as the Rocky movies, it’s only natural for there to be the occasional need for a breath of fresh air - a fresh perspective on a tried and tested formula. After the last movie relied heavily on the first movie, a fresh rethink was called for by creator/writer, director and star Stallone despite the previous film’s box office success.

After meddling with scripts and the movies editing on his last two pictures Stallone is back in full creative control. And it’s to the movies benefit. Stallone is at his best when playing Rocky - it is his vision and his creation - and despite what Hollywood wants us to think, he is not a bad director either.

From the supercharged Eye of the Tiger opening this film just does not let up. All of the cast are great, none more so than Stallone himself. The scene of Mickey’s death after Rocky’s destruction at the hands of Clubber Lang is brilliant. But the Masterstroke here lies in making Apollo a far more central character after Mickey’s death.

All of this and I still haven’t even mentioned CLUBBER! Mr .T is perfect as Clubber Lang a great adversary for Rocky and the power and intensity his character displays in the ring is ferocious!

Then comes Rocky IV (1985) where Sylvester Stallone is back as heavyweight champ Rocky Balboa, this time squaring off against towering Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), an unstoppable fighting machine who has already killed one man in the ring. All this, and a plea for global understanding, too.

The sheer effort Dolph (Ivan Drago), Sylvester (Rocky Balboa) and Carl (Apollo Creed) must have gone into training for this film must have been truly awesome. They all look amazingly fit and sculptured. I think more so than any current modern day boxer.

Kudos to Dolph who in almost his first major feature film (his first was View to a Kill) made, at least for me, a major impact. Despite his lack of dialog I must break you is right up there with Schwarzenegger’s I’ll be back. He looked amazingly strong - a freak almost - just as the plot intended. Scary. He looked even taller than the 6 inch difference between him and Stallone.

Oh, and the movie did give us some great music too, like Hearts On Fire by John Cafferty, No Easy Out by Robert Tepper, and Living in America by James Brown, and which are all great songs. Still, I was really hoping for the Bill Contri Gonna Fly Now to make appearance in the film, but regardless, Vince DiCola did a good job with the soundtrack.

Next up is Rocky V (1990). The fifth entry in the ever-popular series finds Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky down-and-out-of-moolah in Philadelphia. He takes talented young boxer Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) under his wing, but the fighter betrays him and signs with a sleazy promoter. Rocky goes up against Gunn, but does he have the stuff to clobber his powerful, deceitful opponent?

Stallone recruited his own son for the role of Robert (Rocky’s son) and the result is one of the best father son relationships ever committed to celluloid. The scene where Rocky realizes that he has been a negligent father and must make his peace with the boy is affectionate and heartfelt and could never been as realistic without the real life history behind these two people.

OK, there are some flaws and I am not too naive to suggest this movie is worthy of an Oscar. The casting of Tommy The Machine Gunn could have been better as real life boxer Tommy Morrison sometimes appears wooden and is never really threatening enough to Rocky for the final fight to have any tangible tension.

Similarly, aside from the final tune of Elton John’s The Measure of a Man the music does not measure up to the awesome and inspirational anthems that have accompanied previous installments. Any flick in the early nineties that used rap music as its primary soundtrack has ultimately dated for a modern audience and so too this is the case here sadly.

The final scene provides the usual over done fight with, well, if you’ve seen the others and enjoyed them, the fights and the stories, you should like this, too.

Lastly we get Rocky Balboa (2006). Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed, and (of course) stars in the sixth film in the beloved franchise. In the wake of Adrian’s death, the once-great Rocky agrees to an exhibition bout with current heavyweight champ Mason The Line Dixon (Antonio Tarver), who wants to fight the living legend to earn some respect. Will stepping into the ring one last time give Rocky’s life the meaning it’s been missing?

In Philadelphia, the retired former champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) misses his beloved deceased wife Adrian; tries to get closer to his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia) and has a routine life helping people, running his restaurant telling his past glories to clients and taking pictures with his fans.

When the television shows a virtual fight between Rocky and the unappreciated undefeated heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) wined by Rocky, he feels the need to return to the ring to practice boxing in little fights as a sport.the fight of the century. And fighters gonna fight!!

In my humble opinion, this is Stallone’s best acting ever. The only downfall, I thought was the soundtrack, as Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) entrance music to the fight is great, and of course the theme to Rocky is great, but other than that the soundtrack was not good at all. However as we all know we cannot judge a movie by its soundtrack and so this is, as a stand alone cinematic piece, a true must see!

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will include an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with each feature film in 4K with HDR, a bonus Blu-ray disc with the documentary and a selection of pre-existing special features, and a Digital version of the feature films.

Ultra HD Blu-ray showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before.

For the complete 4K Ultra HD experience with HDR, a 4K Ultra HD TV with HDR, an Ultra HD Blu-ray player and a high-speed HDMI (category 2) cable are required.

The Ultra HD Blu-ray disc featuring the films ROCKY, ROCKY II, ROCKY III, ROCKY IV, ROCKY IV Ultimate Director’s Cut, ROCKY VS. DRAGO, ROCKY, ROCKY BALBOA and the ROCKY BALBOA Director’s Cut will feature Dolby VisionTM HDR that dramatically expands the color palette and contrast range and uses dynamic metadata to automatically optimize the picture for every screen, frame by frame.