The Rewatchables ‘Rocky II’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
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Dec 2, 2025 Join a lively discussion as the hosts dive into the making of Rocky II, highlighting Sylvester Stallone’s push to direct for a career comeback. They debate its foundational role in the franchise, celebrated moments, and movie magic like the iconic training montage. Revel in tales of audience reactions, on-set anecdotes, and the emotional highs of Apollo's locker room speech. The conversation touches on casting choices, nostalgic quirks from 1979, and the film's legacy, while questioning some plausibility issues, making for an entertaining rewatch experience!
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Sequel As Franchise Foundation
- Rocky II functions as the true genesis of the Rocky franchise, shifting from small drama to serialized sports-action lore.
- The film builds the franchise world and templates training, entrance, and rematch beats for future sequels.
The Sequel-As-Remaster
- Rocky II often mirrors the first film beat-for-beat while amplifying spectacle and production values.
- Chris Ryan calls it a 'remastered' remake that reuses and embellishes core story elements for broader franchise appeal.
Theater Cheered Like A Sporting Event
- Bill Simmons recalls seeing Rocky II in a Boston theater where the crowd cheered like a real sporting event.
- The audience reaction to the double knockdown and Rocky's win made the theater feel like a live sporting moment to him.
