50 Best Sports Movies Ever

2. Rocky

Year: 1976
Sport: Boxing
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith
Director: John G. Avildsen

“He’s every nobody that ever needed somebody.”

Whether or not you believe it should be No. 1 on this or any list, Rocky is the quintessential sports film. It’s a story of trials and tribulations, as a relatable character fights for his loved ones and, against all odds, lives out his dreams as a star boxer.

Not only was this a sensational sports film, but it won Best Picture at both the 1977 Academy Awards and Golden Globes.

Directed by John G. Avildsen—the same man who brought us the classic Karate Kid—Rocky takes us on a roller coaster of emotions. Sylver Stallone, who wrote and starred in the film, evolves from a low-profile boxer into a true challenge for world champion prize fighter Apollo Creed.

The final fight scene is often referred to as one of the greatest moments in, not only the history of sports films, but that of the silver screen.

It’s a classic moment from a truly iconic film.

A testament to how influential a movie Rocky was is the fact that one of its supporting characters, Creed, had a spinoff in 2015—almost 40 years after his character debuted. Creed’s son, Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, is the main character of the appropriately titled Creed, which features Stallone returning as Rocky Balboa.

Raging Bull is better overall film, but Rocky exemplifies everything that it means to make a quality sports movie.

Next: 1. Raging Bull