Sylvester Stallone Movies: Essential Films
This watch list showcases Sylvester Stallone's most significant and acclaimed performances across his career. Rocky is the film that started it all, earning him Oscar nominations for both acting and writing. First Blood introduced his other iconic character, John Rambo, showing his range beyond the boxing ring.
Cliffhanger represents his peak as an action superstar, while Cop Land is widely considered his finest dramatic performance, playing a vulnerable small-town sheriff opposite an ensemble cast. Escape Plan highlights his chemistry with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Creed earned him a Golden Globe win and another Oscar nomination, proving he could still deliver powerful performances in his late career.
There are 2 other watch lists available - see the links up above.
List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)
Rocky
Rocky Balboa, a small-time Philadelphia boxer, gets an unexpected shot at the world heavyweight championship. This underdog story follows his journey as he trains for the fight of his life against the reigning champion.
First Blood
When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed and arrested by small-town police, he escapes into the wilderness and uses his military training in an escalating conflict with local law enforcement.
Cliffhanger
A former mountain ranger with a tragic past is forced back into action when he and his partner respond to a rescue call, only to discover the stranded climbers are actually dangerous criminals searching for stolen money in the treacherous peaks.
Cop Land
Sheriff Freddy Heflin oversees a quiet town populated by big city police officers, but when he uncovers a deadly conspiracy among the residents he admires, he must choose between loyalty and justice.
Escape Plan
Ray Breslin, the world's foremost authority on structural security who designs escape-proof prisons, finds himself framed and imprisoned in a maximum-security facility. He must use all his expertise to break out and discover who orchestrated his downfall.
Creed
Rocky Balboa comes out of retirement to train Adonis Johnson, the son of his former rival Apollo Creed, as the young fighter seeks to make his own mark in the boxing world.
Related Film Series
Death Race
A dystopian racing franchise spanning satirical cult classics and gritty action reboots, all centered around deadly vehicular combat competitions.
Escape Plan
An action trilogy following security expert Ray Breslin as he infiltrates and escapes from increasingly dangerous high-tech prisons.
Rambo
Sylvester Stallone stars as John Rambo, a troubled Vietnam War veteran, in this five-film action series spanning from 1982 to 2019.
Rocky / Creed
The legendary boxing saga following Rocky Balboa's rise from underdog to champion, and later the journey of Adonis Creed carrying on the legacy.
Spy Kids
Family-friendly action franchise about children who discover their parents are secret agents and become spies themselves, featuring the original Cortez trilogy and subsequent reboots.
The Expendables
An ensemble action franchise featuring elite mercenaries led by Barney Ross, uniting classic action stars from the 1980s and 1990s in high-octane adventures.
Other Film Series
A Better Tomorrow
A landmark Hong Kong action series exploring themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and redemption through stylized gunplay and emotional drama.
Death Wish
An architect turned vigilante seeks justice after criminals attack his family in this urban crime thriller series.
Dirty Harry
San Francisco Inspector Harry Callahan's uncompromising approach to justice across five iconic cop thrillers.
Noomi Rapace
Swedish actress known for intense, transformative performances across international cinema.
Quentin Tarantino
Influential American filmmaker known for nonlinear storytelling, stylized violence, pop culture references, and memorable dialogue across ten acclaimed directorial works.
The Punisher
Three completely separate reboot films featuring Frank Castle's vigilante crusade, each with different actors, settings, and interpretations of the character.