50 years ago, Sylvester Stallone broke onto the scene with Rocky. The 1976 sports movie became a global sensation, earning $225 million and receiving 10 Oscar nominations, winning three, including Best Picture. As a result, the Rocky movie franchise was immediately born, one that Stallone has been directly involved with for eight of nine movies.
He wrote and starred in the first six movies and directed Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Rocky Balboa. Stallone made the first four sequels in just 11 years, before taking a 16-year break from playing the Italian Stallion again. And while 2006 seemed to be the end, 2015 brought Creed and a new take on the boxing franchise.
From the very first entry and through the latest (2023’s Creed III), the franchise has remained incredibly popular. With $1.9 billion made at the box office, the series continues to be a major priority for Amazon MGM Studios. That’s why new Rocky and Creed projects keep entering development, such as Creed 4 and a Drago spinoff.
But after spending 50 years exclusively exploring this boxing world on the big screen, Rocky is about to change formats. Amazon MGM’s desire to expand the series into new territories is ushering in a major shift, one that could continue to define the franchise for years to come.
The First Rocky TV Show Is On The Way
Amazon MGM are officially working to bring fans the first TV show set in the Rocky universe. While Stallone has floated the idea of a prequel series since 2019, the concept has never gained much traction. That show may still see the light of day eventually, but Amazon has prioritized a spinoff series called Delphi.
Announced in 2025, the series has already been picked up for a full season. As suggested by the title, Delphi will focus on the iconic gym that Apollo and Adonis Creed have trained in, the same one that Adonis came to own by the events of Creed III. The spinoff show has Marco Ramirez (Daredevil season 2) attached as the showrunner, with Michael B. Jordan producing.
Production on Delphi is underway, having started filming in May in Los Angeles. Wood Harris returns as Tony “Little Duke” Evers, who runs Delphi Boxing Academy. Delphi‘s cast also includes Demián Bichir, André Holland, Theo Rossi, Andre Royo, and a collection of younger stars set to play rising boxers who train at Delphi for a shot at becoming the sport’s newest stars.
An official release date has yet to be confirmed for Delphi, but it likely will debut on Prime Video in 2027, so long as production goes smoothly. And when it does, the Rocky franchise will no longer be exclusive to movie theaters. Long-form storytelling done through TV will enter the mix.
Rocky’s Expansion To TV Will Continue
Delphi will not be a one-off venture for the Rocky franchise, either. In an effort to expand the franchise and reach more audiences, Amazon and Jordan have their eyes on making multiple other TV shows that will be exclusive to Prime Video. Stallone also has a deal with Amazon through Balboa Productions that could eventually bring his ideas for new projects to fruition.
Reports have brought a few different in-development TV shows to light over the years. After Creed III‘s success, Jordan and Amazon began talking about making an anime series set in this universe. Jordan also confirmed in 2025 that a show revolving around Adonis’ daughter, Amara, has been picked up by Amazon. Those reports also noted another live-action companion series, which may have become Delphi.
Given Jordan’s love of anime and the prominent role that Amara is poised to have in the franchise’s future, both of those shows are likely to be made so long as Amazon finds success moving Rocky to this format with Delphi. That result would also certainly spark ideas for fresh ideas. Even the cancelled Drago film could be reworked into a new Rocky show, potentially.