Editing Rocky (section)

==Reception==
===Box office===
''Rocky'' grossed $5,488 on its opening day at Cinema&nbsp;II, a house record.<ref name=open /> When it was released nationally, it grossed $5&nbsp;million during its first wide weekend and consistently performed well for eight months<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Daily Variety]]|title=June Key City Dom. B.O. Wow With Estimated $66 mil|date=July 13, 1977|page=1|last=Murphy|first=A.D.}}</ref> and eventually reached $117&nbsp;million at the North American box office.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rocky (1976)|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rocky.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=December 1, 2015|archive-date=July 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726190544/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rocky.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Adjusted for inflation in 2018, the film earned over $500&nbsp;million in North America alone.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Austin|first1=Christina|title='Creed' Has a Long Way to Go to Beat 'Rocky' at the Box Office|url=http://fortune.com/2015/11/30/rocky-creed-box-office/|website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|publisher=[[Time, Inc.]]|access-date=December 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201193751/http://fortune.com/2015/11/30/rocky-creed-box-office/|archive-date=December 1, 2015|date=November 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Overseas, ''Rocky'' grossed $107&nbsp;million, for a worldwide box office total of $225&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hall|first1=Sheldon|last2=Neale|first2=Stephen|title=Epics, Spectacles, and Blockbusters: A Hollywood History|date=2010|publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]]|location=Detroit, Michigan|isbn=978-0-8143-3008-1|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ro0hASPfC68C&pg=PA214 214]|quote=''Rocky'' was the "sleeper of the decade". Produced by UA and costing just under $1 million, it went on to earn a box-office gross of $117,235,247 in the United States and $225 million worldwide.}}</ref> With its production budget of just under $1&nbsp;million, ''Rocky'' is notable for its worldwide [[Rate of return|percentage return]] of over 11,000 percent.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Crowley|first1=Julian|title=10 Most Profitable Low Budget Movies of All Time|url=http://www.businesspundit.com/10-most-profitable-low-budget-movies-of-all-time/|website=Business Pundit|publisher=Aven Enterprises|access-date=December 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201201648/http://www.businesspundit.com/10-most-profitable-low-budget-movies-of-all-time/|archive-date=December 1, 2015|date=April 4, 2011}}</ref> It was the [[1976 in film#Highest-grossing films (U.S.)|highest-grossing film released in 1976]] in the United States and Canada<ref>{{cite web|title=1976 Box Office|url=http://www.worldwideboxoffice.com/index.cgi?start=1976&finish=1976&order=domestic|website=WorldwideBoxoffice.com|access-date=December 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151202165819/http://www.worldwideboxoffice.com/index.cgi?start=1976&finish=1976&order=domestic|archive-date=December 2, 2015}}</ref> and the second highest-grossing film of 1977, behind ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Big Rental Films of 1977|date=January 4, 1978|page=21}}</ref>

===Critical response===
''Rocky'' received positive reviews at the time of its release. [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave it 4 out of 4 stars and said that Stallone reminded him of "the young [[Marlon Brando]]."<ref>{{cite news | date=January 1, 1977 <!-- although the online version says 1976, it was actually 1977 --> | title=Rocky Movie Review & Film Summary | first=Roger | last=Ebert | author-link=Roger Ebert | url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/rocky-1976 | access-date=October 9, 2017 | newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] | via=RogerEbert.com | archive-date=October 18, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018173317/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/rocky-1976 | url-status=live }}</ref> ''Box Office Magazine'' claimed audiences would be "touting Sylvester 'Sly' Stallone as a new star".<ref>{{cite web|date=1976-11-22 |title=Box Office Magazine Rocky Review |url=http://www.boxoffice.com/scripts/fiw.dll?GetReview?&where=ID&terms=4828 |access-date=September 23, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123101307/http://www.boxoffice.com/scripts/fiw.dll?GetReview%3F&where=ID&terms=4828 |archive-date=November 23, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Arizona Daily Star Review | url= http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=107744&section=pressQuote | access-date= November 14, 2006 | archive-date= May 28, 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070528083917/http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=107744&section=pressQuote | url-status= live }}</ref> [[Frank Rich]] liked the film, calling it "almost 100 per cent [[schmaltz]]", but favoring it over the cynicism that was prevalent in movies at that time, although he referred to the plot as "gimmicky" and the script "heavy-handed".<ref>Frank Rich. ''[[New York Post]]'' November 22, 1976.  p. 18</ref> Several reviews, including [[Richard Eder]]'s (as well as Canby's negative review), compared the work to that of [[Frank Capra]].

The film did not escape criticism. [[Vincent Canby]], of ''[[The New York Times]]'', called it "pure '30s make believe" and dismissed both Stallone's acting and Avildsen's directing, calling the latter "none too decisive".<ref>{{cite news|date = November 22, 1976|access-date = September 23, 2006|url = http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/rocky-re.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060929211511/http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/rocky-re.html|archive-date = September 29, 2006|title = Film: 'Rocky,' Pure 30's Make-Believe|work = The New York Times|first = Vincent|last = Canby|author-link = Vincent Canby|url-status = live}}</ref> [[Andrew Sarris]] found the Capra comparisons disingenuous: "Capra's movies projected more despair deep down than a movie like ''Rocky'' could envisage, and most previous ring movies have been much more cynical about the fight scene"; commenting on Rocky's work for a loan shark, Sarris says the film "teeters on the edge of sentimentalizing gangsters". He found Meredith "oddly cast in the kind of part the late [[James Gleason]] used to pick his teeth".<ref>''[[The Village Voice]]'' November 22, 1976, p.61</ref>

The film enjoys a reputation as a classic and still receives nearly universal praise. On the [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds a 93% approval rating based on 75 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critics consensus states: "This story of a down-on-his-luck boxer is thoroughly predictable, but Sylvester Stallone's script and stunning performance in the title role brush aside complaints."<ref>{{cite web|title=Rocky|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1017776-rocky/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228201751/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1017776-rocky|archive-date=February 28, 2021|access-date=April 10, 2022|website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose |score=70|count=14}}<ref>{{cite web |title= Rocky Reviews |url= https://www.metacritic.com/movie/rocky |work= [[Metacritic]] |access-date=March 1, 2023}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Award 
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result 
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="10"| [[49th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
| [[Robert Chartoff]] and [[Irwin Winkler]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="10"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1977 |title=The 49th Academy Awards (1977) Nominees and Winners |access-date=October 3, 2011 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |archive-date=February 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202002051/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1977 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| [[John G. Avildsen]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[Sylvester Stallone]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Talia Shire]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| [[Burgess Meredith]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Burt Young]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| Sylvester Stallone
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]
| [[Richard Halsey]] and Scott Conrad
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] 
| "[[Gonna Fly Now]]" <br> Music by [[Bill Conti]]; <br> Lyrics by [[Carol Connors (singer)|Carol Connors]] and [[Ayn Robbins]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]]
| [[Harry W. Tetrick|Harry Warren Tetrick]]{{efn|[[List of posthumous Academy Award winners and nominees|Posthumous nomination]].}}, [[William McCaughey]], <br> [[Lyle J. Burbridge]], and [[Bud Alper]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[31st British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| rowspan="2"| John G. Avildsen
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://awards.bafta.org/award/1978/film |title=Film in 1978 |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] |access-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction|Best Direction]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor in a Leading Role]]
| rowspan="2"| Sylvester Stallone
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]
| Richard Halsey
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="6"| [[34th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]]
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="6"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1977 |title=Winners & Nominees 1977 |work=Golden Globes |publisher=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] |access-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Sylvester Stallone
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Talia Shire
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| John G. Avildsen
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Sylvester Stallone
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]]
| Bill Conti
| {{nom}}
|}

===Legacy===
The [[Directors Guild of America]] awarded ''Rocky'' its [[Directors Guild of America Awards|annual award]] for best film of the year in 1976. Additionally, the Directors Guild voted ''Rocky'' as the 65th best-directed film of all time,<ref name="dga 80 best">[https://web.archive.org/web/20241226110741/https://www.dga.org/craft/dgaq/all-articles/1602-spring-2016/80th-film-poll.aspx The 80 Best-Directed Films] [[Directors Guild of America]] via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved April 12, 2024.</ref> and in 2006, Sylvester Stallone's original screenplay for the film was selected by the [[Writers Guild of America West|Writers Guild of America]] as the 78th best screenplay of all time.<ref name="wga 101">[https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list The 101 Best Screenplays] [[Writers Guild of America West]]. Retrieved October 11, 2024.</ref> In a 2012 survey of members of the [[Motion Picture Editors Guild]], ''Rocky'' was voted as one of the 75 best-edited films in all of cinema.<ref name="mpeg 75">[https://web.archive.org/web/20150317101140/https://www.editorsguild.com/magazine.cfm?ArticleID=1102 The 75 Best Edited Films] ''[[Motion Picture Editors Guild|Editors Guild Magazine]]'' (Vol. 1, Issue 3) via [[Internet Archive]]. Published May 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2024.</ref>

In 2006, the [[Library of Congress]] selected ''Rocky'' for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/07012/film.html |title=Librarian Adds 25 Titles to Film Preservation List: National Film Registry 2006 |publisher=Library of Congress.gov |access-date=June 11, 2010 |archive-date=September 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910225447/http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/07012/film.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2745890220061229 |title=''Rocky'', ''Fargo'' join National Film Registry |work=Reuters |date=2006-12-28 |access-date=June 11, 2010 |archive-date=February 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207104944/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2745890220061229 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1998, the [[American Film Institute]] (AFI) ranked ''Rocky'' as the [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies|78th best film in American cinema]].<ref name="100yrs 1"/> The film's ranking rose to #57 on AFI's [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)|10th anniversary edition of the list]] in 2007.<ref name="afi 10th anniversary list">[https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies-10th-anniversary-edition/ The 100 Greatest American Films — 10th Anniversary Edition] [[American Film Institute]]. Retrieved September 2, 2024.</ref> Additionally, in June 2008, AFI revealed its [[AFI's 10 Top 10|10 Top 10]]—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. ''Rocky'' was acknowledged as the second-best film in the sports genre, after ''[[Raging Bull]]''.<ref name="afi 10 top 10">{{cite web | title= Top 10 Sports Films | url= http://www.afi.com/10top10/sports.html | publisher= [[American Film Institute]] | access-date= 2008-06-18 | archive-date= August 10, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130810160512/http://www.afi.com/10top10/sports.html | url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres | work = ComingSoon.net | date = June 17, 2008 | url = http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46072 | access-date = June 18, 2008| archive-date = August 18, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080818100312/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46072 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Film scholar Steven J. Schneider included ''Rocky'' in his book ''[[1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die]]'', writing that the film is "often overlooked as schmaltz".<ref name="1001 must see">{{cite book|last =Schneider| first = Stephen Jay | title = [[1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die]] |publisher = New Burlington Books|year= 2005 |location = London, England| page = 615| edition = Revised | isbn = 978-0-7641-5907-7}}</ref>
[[Filmsite|FilmSite.org]], a subsidiary of [[AMC (TV channel)|American Movie Classics]], included the film on their list of the 300 greatest films of all time.<ref name="amc 300">[https://www.filmsite.org/momentsindx300.html The Third 100 Greatest Films] [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]]'s [[Filmsite|FilmSite]]. Retrieved July 13, 2024.</ref> Additionally, Films101.com ranked the film as the 228th best of all time.<ref name="films101">[https://web.archive.org/web/20150212055135/https://www.films101.com/filmsr.htm#15 The Best Movies of All Time (10,267 Most Notable)] Films101.com via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved July 13, 2024.</ref>

In 2006, British film magazine ''[[Total Film]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' at #71 on their list of the 100 greatest films of all time.<ref name="total film">[https://lifevsfilm.com/lists/total-film-top-100/ Total Film: Top 100 Movies] ''[[Total Film]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> Based on their 2020 readers' poll, the film ranked #60 on ''[[Rolling Stone Australia|Rolling Stone Australia's]]'' "100 Greatest Movies of All Time".<ref name="rolling stone 100">[https://au.rollingstone.com/100-greatest-movies-of-all-time/page/3/ 100 Greatest Movies of All Time] ''[[Rolling Stone Australia]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> Additionally, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine ranked ''Rocky'' at #2 on their list of the 30 greatest sports films.<ref name="rolling stone sports films">[https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/best-sports-movies-rocky-rudy-71467/rocky-1976-30103/ 30 Best Sports Movies of All Time] ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref>

In 2022, ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' included the film on their list of "The 100 Best Movies of All Time".<ref name="esquire">[https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g226/best-movies-ever-0609/ The 100 Best Movies of All Time] ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> ''Esquire'' also included both ''Rocky'' and its [[Spinoff (media)|spinoff sequel]] ''[[Creed (film)|Creed]]'' on their list of "The 30 Best Sports Movies of All Time".<ref name="esquire sports films">[https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a47528/best-sports-movies/ The Best Sports Movies of All Time] ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> In 2023, ''[[/Film|Slashfilm]]'' included ''Rocky'' on their list of the "Top 100 Movies of All Time", as voted by a selection of their writers and editors.<ref name="slashfilm">[https://www.slashfilm.com/1287713/best-movies-ever-made/ /Film's Top 100 Movies of All Time] ''[[/Film]]''. Retrieved August 31, 2024.</ref> In 2024, entertainment news site ''[[Comic Book Resources]]'' ranked the film #23 on their list of the "55 Best Movies of All Time",<ref name="cbr">[https://www.cbr.com/best-movies-all-time-ranked/#rocky The 55 Best Movies of All Time, Ranked] ''[[Comic Book Resources]]''. Retrieved September 16, 2024.</ref> while ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'' magazine ranked the film #45 on their list of the "100 Best Movies of All Time".<ref name="parade">[https://parade.com/1222580/samuelmurrian/best-movies-all-time/ The 100 Best Movies of All Time] ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]''. Retrieved September 16, 2024.</ref>

In 2014, ''Rocky'' was ranked #95 by British film magazine ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' on their list of "The 301 Greatest Movies of All Time",<ref name="empire301 2014">{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/301/list.asp?page=20 |title=The 301 Greatest Movies of All Time |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010045414/http://www.empireonline.com/301/list.asp?page=20 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was ranked #370 on their previous list of the 500 greatest films in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/500/25.asp |title=''Empire's'' The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=June 11, 2010 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119034539/http://www.empireonline.com/500/25.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> Conversely, in a 2005 poll by ''Empire'', ''Rocky'' was No. 9 on their list of "The Top 10 Worst Pictures to Win Best Picture Oscar".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywood.com/news/Mel_Gibsons_Braveheart_Voted_Worst_Oscar_Winner/2435436|title=Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" Voted Worst Oscar Winner|publisher=hollywood.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203230603/http://www.hollywood.com/news/Mel_Gibsons_Braveheart_Voted_Worst_Oscar_Winner/2435436|archive-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref>

In June 2014, ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' compiled a list of the 100 best movies ever made, polling film industry insiders on their favorite films of all time.<ref name="THR 100 films">[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/100-best-films-ever-hollywood-favorites-818512 Hollywood’s 100 Favorite Films] ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> ''Rocky'' ranked #91.<ref name="THR 100 films" /> The following year ''The Hollywood Reporter'' polled hundreds of Academy members, asking them to re-vote on past controversial decisions. Academy members indicated that, given a second chance, they would award the 1977 Oscar for Best Picture to ''[[All the President's Men (film)|All the President's Men]]'' instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/recount-oscar-voters-today-would-773522|title=Recount! Oscar Voters Today Would Make 'Brokeback Mountain' Best Picture Over 'Crash'|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=February 18, 2015|access-date=January 1, 2020|archive-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122094645/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/recount-oscar-voters-today-would-773522|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' #1 on their list of the "50 Best Sports Movies of All Time".<ref name="time out">[https://www.timeout.com/film/best-sports-movies The Best Sports Movies of All Time, from 'Field of Dreams' to 'Creed'] ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> On their list of "The 50 Greatest Sports Movies of All Time", [[Entertainment journalism|entertainment news]] website ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' at #3.<ref name="vulture">[https://www.vulture.com/article/best-sports-movies-ranked.html The 50 Greatest Sports Movies of All Time] ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> In 2015, ''[[Thrillist]]'' compiled a list of "The 1001 Best Movies of All Time" by weighing ratings from [[IMDb]], [[Rotten Tomatoes]], [[Metacritic]] and [[Letterboxd]]. ''Rocky'' ranked #589.<ref name="thrillist">[https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/50-greatest-movies-of-all-time-ranked-by-imdb-rotten-tomatoes-metacritic-and-letterboxd The Definitive Ranking of the 1,001 Best Movies Ever] ''[[Thrillist]]''. Retrieved October 22, 2024.</ref><ref name="imdb 1001">[https://www.imdb.com/list/ls074674014/ 2015 Edition: Top10ner's 1001 'Greatest' Movies of All Time] [[IMDb]]. Retrieved October 22, 2024.</ref>

In 2021, the film ranked 2nd on [[ESPN]]'s "Top 20 Sports Movies of All-Time".<ref name="ESPN">[https://www.espn.com/page2/movies/s/top20/fulllist.html Top 20 Sports Movies of All-Time] [[ESPN]]. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> In 2024, ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine ranked ''Rocky'' #1 on their list of "The 42 Greatest Sports Movies of All Time".<ref name="forbes">[https://www.forbes.com/sites/entertainment/article/sports-movies/ The 42 Greatest Sports Movies of All Time] ''[[Forbes]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref>

British film site ''[[Future plc#Brands|CinemaBlend]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' and ''Creed'' #1 and #17 respectively on their list of "The 25 Best Sports Movies".<ref name="cinemablend">[https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/best-sports-movies The 25 Best Sports Movies] ''[[Future plc|CinemaBlend]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> On their list of "100 Best Movies of All Time", entertainment news website ''[[Collider (website)|Collider]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' #94,<ref name="collider 100">[https://collider.com/best-movies-of-all-time/ Collider's 100 Best Movies of All Time, Ranked — 100 Through 81] ''[[Collider (website)|Collider]]''. Retrieved November 12, 2024.</ref> and on their list of "The 30 Greatest Sports Movies of All Time", ''Collider'' ranked the film #2.<ref name="collider sports">[https://collider.com/best-sports-movies-of-all-time-ranked/ The 30 Best Sports Movies of All Time, Ranked] ''[[Collider (website)|Collider]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> On their list of the "Top 25 Sports Movies of All Time", entertainment [[Online newspaper|news website]] ''[[MovieWeb]]'' ranked ''Rocky'' #4.<ref name="movieweb sports">[https://movieweb.com/best-sports-movies/ Top 25 Sports Movies of All Time, Ranked] ''[[MovieWeb]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> ''MovieWeb'' also ranked the film #3 on their list of the "20 Movies That Represent American Culture".<ref name="movieweb">[https://movieweb.com/movies-represent-american-culture/ 20 Movies That Represent American Culture] ''[[MovieWeb]]''. Retrieved September 16, 2024.</ref>

On their list of "The 150 Best Sports Movies of All Time", [[Rotten Tomatoes]] ranked ''Rocky'' #17 and ''Creed'' #2.<ref name="rotten tomatoes sports">[https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-sports-movie-of-all-time/ 150 Best Sports Movies of All Time] [[Rotten Tomatoes]]. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> ''[[Men's Health]]'' included ''Rocky'' on their list of the "50 of the Absolute Best Sports Movies Ever Made".<ref name="mens health">[https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/g26343949/best-sports-movies/ 50 of the Absolute Best Sports Movies Ever Made] ''[[Men's Health]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref> ''[[GQ|British GQ]]'' ranked the film #1 on their list of "The 22 Best Sports Movies".<ref name="brit GQ">[https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/best-sports-movies The 22 Best Sports Movies, Ranked] ''[[GQ|British GQ]]''. Retrieved September 1, 2024.</ref>

===Year-end lists===
''Rocky'' has also appeared on several of the [[American Film Institute]]'s ''[[AFI 100 Years... series|100 Years]]'' lists.
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies]] (1998) – #78<ref name="100yrs 1">{{cite web|year= 1998| title = The 100 Greatest American Films| url = http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx| publisher = [[American Film Institute]]| access-date =2006-08-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060821210811/http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-08-21}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills]] (2001) – #52
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions]] (2002) – Nominated<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110313150610/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/passions400.pdf AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America’s Greatest Love Stories – The 400 Nominated Films] [[American Film Institute]] via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved April 15, 2024.</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains]] (2003)
** Rocky Balboa – #7 Hero<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/handv.aspx|title = AFI 100 Heroes and Villains|access-date = 2006-10-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061004115258/http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/handv.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-10-04}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs]] (2004)
** "[[Gonna Fly Now]]" – #58
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes]] (2005)
** "Yo, Adrian!" – #80<ref>{{cite web|year=2005 |url=http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/quotes.aspx#list |access-date=2006-09-29 |title=AFI 100 Quotes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906121318/http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/quotes.aspx |archive-date=September 6, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores]] (2005) – Nominated<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110313150632/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/scores250.pdf AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores: Honoring America’s Greatest Film Music, Official Ballot] [[American Film Institute]] via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved April 15, 2024.</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers]] (2006) – #4<ref name="100yrs 2">{{cite web|date= June 14, 2006| title = AFI 100 Cheers| url = http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/cheers.aspx| access-date = 2006-08-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060820112138/http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/cheers.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-08-20}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)|AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)]] (2007) – #57<ref name="afi 10th anniversary list"/>
* [[AFI's 10 Top 10]] (2008) – #2 Sports Film<ref name="afi 10 top 10"/>