6) Rocky Balboa
Sequel to: Rocky V
Time between movies: 16 years
If last year’s Creed proved anything, it’s that you should never count the Rocky franchise out. Just when you think it’s done, Sylvester Stallone’s little franchise that could scraps its way to a comeback.
After the disappointing Rocky III came the majestic Rocky IV, last year came Creed, and almost a decade before that, in 2006, came Rocky Balboa, following on from the incredibly awful Rocky V.
The Rocky Balboa project was something of a joke before its release. Here was Stallone, at the end of his 50s, getting back in the ring, for the (much lower-budgeted) sixth movie in a series that everyone thought was finished creatively.
The film proved to be surprisingly moving though, a tale of growing old alone and refusing to just fade into obscurity. It’s a solid sports movie, but an even better drama.