Sylvester Stallone Movies: Release Order

1970 - 202558 Films99h 12m3.3 Average

Sylvester Stallone's career began with small roles and struggling actor work in the early 1970s, including The Party at Kitty and Stud's and The Lords of Flatbush. Everything changed when he wrote and starred in Rocky in 1976, which became the highest-grossing film of the year and won the Academy Award for Best Picture, launching him to superstardom.

From there, Stallone became one of Hollywood's most bankable action stars through the 1980s and 1990s with the Rocky and Rambo franchises, along with films like Cobra, Cliffhanger, and Demolition Man.

This watch list includes his complete filmography of substantial roles, as well as Staying Alive (1983) and Homefront (2013), two films he directed or wrote but did not appear in. After a career lull, he experienced a major resurgence with Rocky Balboa, The Expendables franchise, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Creed, proving his enduring appeal across multiple generations.

There are 2 other watch lists available - see the links up above.

List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)

1
The Party at Kitty and Stud's poster

The Party at Kitty and Stud's

19701h 11m1.5
Director: Morton M. Lewis
Cast: Henrietta Holm, Sylvester Stallone, Nicholas Warren, Frank Micelli, Jodi Van Prang

A 1970 adult film featuring a couple and their intimate encounters with guests at a party.

ComedyDrama
2
No Place to Hide poster

No Place to Hide

19741h 20m1.5
Director: Robert Allen Schnitzer
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Henry G. Sanders, Tony Page, Vickie Lancaster, Dennis Tate

A group of politically motivated students in late 1960s New York plan bombings against companies doing business with dictators, but their activities draw FBI attention when they contact a known terrorist specialist.

DramaCrimeThriller
3
The Lords of Flatbush poster

The Lords of Flatbush

19741h 26m3
Director: Martin Davidson
Cast: Perry King, Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, Paul Mace, Susan Blakely

Set in 1958 Brooklyn, this coming-of-age drama follows four working-class teenagers known as The Lords of Flatbush as they navigate street life, relationships, and the challenges of growing up in their neighborhood.

DramaComedyRomance
4
Capone poster

Capone

19751h 41m3.1
Director: Steve Carver
Cast: Ben Gazzara, Harry Guardino, Sylvester Stallone, Susan Blakely, John Cassavetes

Young Al Capone is recruited by Chicago crime boss Johnny Torrio to help run his Prohibition-era bootlegging operation, eventually rising through the ranks to take control of the criminal empire.

CrimeDrama
5
Death Race 2000 poster

Death Race 2000

19751h 20m3.3
Director: Paul Bartel
Cast: David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, Sylvester Stallone, Mary Woronov, Roberta Collins

In a dystopian future, the government sponsors a deadly cross-country race where drivers score points by running down pedestrians. Five teams compete in weaponized cars, with the mysterious champion Frankenstein facing new challenges from an underground resistance.

ActionScience FictionComedy
6
Rocky poster

Rocky

19762h4.7
Director: John G. Avildsen
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith

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.

Drama
7
F.I.S.T. poster

F.I.S.T.

19782h 25m3.6
Director: Norman Jewison
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle, Melinda Dillon, David Huffman

A working-class man rises through the ranks of a powerful labor union in the 1930s, but his increasingly ruthless methods eventually attract unwanted attention from federal investigators looking into organized crime connections.

DramaActionCrimeThriller
8
Paradise Alley poster

Paradise Alley

19781h 47m3.1
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante, Frank McRae, Anne Archer

Three Italian-American brothers in 1940s New York try to escape the slums by promoting one brother's wrestling career, using their street smarts to outmaneuver a corrupt manager.

ActionDrama
9
Rocky II poster

Rocky II

19792h4.3
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith

After going the distance with champion Apollo Creed, Rocky struggles to find his place outside the ring while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. The two fighters are inevitably drawn into a climactic rematch that will test both men to their limits.

Drama
10
Nighthawks poster

Nighthawks

19811h 39m3.5
Director: Bruce Malmuth
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta

An elite New York undercover cop must hunt down one of Europe's most dangerous terrorists who has arrived in the city.

ActionCrimeThriller
11
Escape to Victory poster

Escape to Victory

19811h 56m3.9
Director: John Huston
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow, Pelé, Carole Laure

During World War II, Allied prisoners of war in a German camp are recruited to play a soccer match against the German national team, using the game as a potential opportunity for escape.

DramaWar
12
Rocky III poster

Rocky III

19821h 39m4
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Mr. T

After losing his championship title to the fierce Clubber Lang, Rocky Balboa must train with former rival Apollo Creed to regain his fighting edge and reclaim his crown.

Drama
13
First Blood poster

First Blood

19821h 33m4.4
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Bill McKinney, Jack Starrett

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.

ActionAdventureThrillerWar
14
Staying Alive poster

Staying Alive

19831h 36m3.1
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: John Travolta, Cynthia Rhodes, Finola Hughes, Steve Inwood, Julie Bovasso

Five years after Saturday Night Fever, Tony Manero pursues his dream of making it as a professional dancer on Broadway.

DramaMusic
15
Rhinestone poster

Rhinestone

19841h 51m2.3
Director: Bob Clark
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Dolly Parton, Richard Farnsworth, Ron Leibman, Tim Thomerson

A brash country music star makes a bet that she can transform anyone into a singing sensation, choosing a New York cab driver as her unlikely protégé. With her reputation on the line, she must prepare him for a crucial performance at a major country music venue.

Comedy
16
Rambo: First Blood Part II poster

Rambo: First Blood Part II

19851h 36m3.8
Director: George P. Cosmatos
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier, Steven Berkoff, Julia Nickson

John Rambo is released from prison by the government for a dangerous covert mission that takes him back to the jungles of Vietnam, the last place he ever wanted to return.

ActionAdventureThrillerWar
17
Rocky IV poster

Rocky IV

19851h 31m4.1
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, Burt Young

Rocky Balboa faces his most dangerous opponent yet in Soviet fighter Ivan Drago, leading to a climactic bout in Moscow where the heavyweight champion must defend both his title and his country's honor.

Drama
18
Cobra poster

Cobra

19861h 27m3.4
Director: George P. Cosmatos
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni, Brian Thompson, Lee Garlington

A tough street cop must protect the sole witness to a dangerous murderous cult in this action-packed thriller starring Sylvester Stallone.

ActionCrimeThriller
19
Over the Top poster

Over the Top

19871h 34m3.6
Director: Menahem Golan
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, Susan Blakely, Rick Zumwalt, David Mendenhall

A hard-luck trucker competes in the World Armwrestling Championship in Las Vegas, hoping to win prize money and reconnect with the son he abandoned years earlier.

ActionDrama
20
Rambo III poster

Rambo III

19881h 42m3.4
Director: Peter MacDonald
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Marc de Jonge, Kurtwood Smith, Spiros Focás

When his mentor Col. Trautman is captured during a secret mission in Afghanistan, the war-weary Rambo must leave his peaceful monastery life behind to mount a daring rescue operation.

ActionAdventureThrillerWar
21
Lock Up poster

Lock Up

19891h 55m3.9
Director: John Flynn
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Sonny Landham, Tom Sizemore

A convict nearing parole finds himself trapped when a vengeful new warden arrives, determined to keep him locked up as payback for a past humiliation.

ActionCrimeDramaThriller
22
Tango & Cash poster

Tango & Cash

19891h 44m3.6
Director: Andrei Konchalovsky
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Teri Hatcher, Jack Palance, Brion James

Two rival narcotics detectives who despise each other must work together when a crime lord frames them as part of an elaborate revenge scheme.

ActionThrillerComedyDramaCrime
23
Rocky V poster

Rocky V

19901h 44m3
Director: John G. Avildsen
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Richard Gant, Tommy Morrison

After being forced into retirement due to brain damage and financial ruin, Rocky Balboa returns to his Philadelphia roots to train a promising young boxer while struggling to reconnect with his family.

Drama
24
Oscar poster

Oscar

19911h 49m3.5
Director: John Landis
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Marisa Tomei, Vincent Spano, Ornella Muti, Tim Curry

A mobster attempts to go legitimate and become an honest businessman to fulfill a deathbed promise to his father, despite having no experience in legal enterprises.

Comedy
25
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot poster

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot

19921h 27m2.7
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Estelle Getty, JoBeth Williams, Roger Rees, Martin Ferrero

A tough police sergeant's life is turned upside down when his meddling mother comes to visit and starts interfering with both his personal life and his police work. Her well-intentioned but embarrassing attempts to help ultimately lead to unexpected assistance on one of his cases.

ActionComedy
26
Cliffhanger poster

Cliffhanger

19931h 52m3.6
Director: Renny Harlin
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn

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.

ActionAdventureThriller
27
Demolition Man poster

Demolition Man

19931h 55m3.8
Director: Marco Brambilla
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt

A brash 1990s police detective and his nemesis are frozen in cryogenic prison, only to be awakened decades later in a peaceful future society where the cop must stop the escaped criminal using old-school methods.

CrimeActionScience Fiction
28
The Specialist poster

The Specialist

19941h 50m3.2
Director: Luis Llosa
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Rod Steiger, Eric Roberts

A woman seeking revenge for her parents' murder hires a retired explosives expert to eliminate their killers. When his former partner is assigned to protect one of the targets, a deadly confrontation unfolds.

ActionThriller
29
Judge Dredd poster

Judge Dredd

19951h 36m3.1
Director: Danny Cannon
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jürgen Prochnow

In a dystopian future, Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer with the power to act as judge, jury, and executioner, is framed for a crime he didn't commit and must clear his name.

Science FictionAction
30
Assassins poster

Assassins

19952h 12m3.6
Director: Richard Donner
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoli Davydov, Muse Watson

A veteran assassin decides to retire after one final job, but finds himself targeted by a rival killer while developing feelings for his intended victim.

ActionAdventureCrimeThriller
31
Daylight poster

Daylight

19961h 55m3.3
Director: Rob Cohen
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Viggo Mortensen, Stan Shaw, Barry Newman

When a tunnel explosion traps survivors underground, a former emergency services chief must use his expertise to lead them to safety before the structure collapses completely.

ActionAdventureThriller
32
Cop Land poster

Cop Land

19971h 44m3.9
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Peter Berg

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.

CrimeDramaThriller
33
Get Carter poster

Get Carter

20001h 42m2.6
Director: Stephen Kay
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Miranda Richardson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alan Cumming, Mickey Rourke

A Las Vegas mob enforcer returns to his hometown of Seattle for his brother's funeral, only to discover the death wasn't accidental and embarks on a vengeful mission against those responsible.

ActionDramaThrillerCrime
34
Driven poster

Driven

20011h 56m2.5
Director: Renny Harlin
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Stacy Edwards, Til Schweiger

A talented rookie race-car driver begins losing focus and slipping in the rankings due to pressure from his promoter brother and a complicated romance. His team brings in a former racing star to mentor him, but the veteran must first overcome his own emotional scars from a tragic accident.

ActionDrama
35
D-Tox poster

D-Tox

20021h 36m2.9
Director: Jim Gillespie
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Polly Walker, Charles S. Dutton, Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Fulford

A disgraced FBI agent with a drinking problem joins other troubled law enforcement officers at an isolated detox clinic in Wyoming. When a snowstorm traps them inside, they realize there's a killer among them.

ThrillerCrimeHorror
36
Avenging Angelo poster

Avenging Angelo

20021h 37m2.7
Director: Martyn Burke
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Madeleine Stowe, Anthony Quinn, Raoul Bova, Harry Van Gorkum

When a woman discovers she's the daughter of a murdered mafia boss, she teams up with his loyal bodyguard to seek revenge against those responsible. Romance blooms between the unlikely pair as they pursue justice for her father's death.

ActionComedyCrime
37
Shade poster

Shade

20031h 41m3.4
Director: Damian Nieman
Cast: Stuart Townsend, Sylvester Stallone, Jamie Foxx, Gabriel Byrne, Thandiwe Newton

Three con artists devise a plan to take down a notorious cardsharp in a high-stakes poker game, but first they must pull off a dangerous scam against a local gangster to raise the entry money.

ActionThrillerCrime
38
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over poster

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over

20031h 24m2.5
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Daryl Sabara, Ricardo Montalban, Alexa PenaVega, Sylvester Stallone, Courtney Jines

When Carmen becomes trapped in a dangerous virtual reality game created by the villainous Toymaker, her brother Juni must enter the digital world to rescue her and prevent global catastrophe.

FamilyActionComedyAdventureScience Fiction
39
Rocky Balboa poster

Rocky Balboa

20061h 42m3.9
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Antonio Tarver, Geraldine Hughes, Milo Ventimiglia

Aging former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa comes out of retirement to face the current titleholder Mason Dixon in an exhibition match that surprises everyone, including his own family and friends.

Drama
40
Rambo poster

Rambo

20081h 32m3.8
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Reynaldo Gallegos

Ex-Green Beret John Rambo comes out of retirement to join a rescue mission in war-torn Myanmar, where a group of Christian aid workers has been kidnapped by a brutal military unit.

ActionThrillerWar
41
The Expendables poster

The Expendables

20101h 43m3.4
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts

Barney Ross leads a team of elite mercenaries who are hired to assassinate the dictator of a small South American island. When they scout the location, they discover the conflict is more complicated than they initially believed.

ThrillerAdventureAction
42
The Expendables 2 poster

The Expendables 2

20121h 43m3.5
Director: Simon West
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris

Barney Ross and his team of elite mercenaries are forced into a dangerous mission of revenge when one of their own is killed by a ruthless enemy.

ActionAdventureThriller
43
Bullet to the Head poster

Bullet to the Head

20121h 32m2.9
Director: Walter Hill
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jason Momoa

A veteran hitman and a determined cop reluctantly team up after their partners are murdered, pursuing the same dangerous enemy through the gritty streets of New Orleans.

ActionCrimeThriller
44
Escape Plan poster

Escape Plan

20131h 55m3.8
Director: Mikael Håfström
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, 50 Cent, Sam Neill

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.

ActionThriller
45
Homefront poster

Homefront

20131h 40m4
Director: Gary Fleder
Cast: Jason Statham, James Franco, Izabela Vidovic, Winona Ryder, Rachelle Lefevre

A former DEA agent retreats to a small town with his young daughter to escape his dangerous past, but finds himself drawn into conflict with local drug dealers. When his daughter's school fight triggers a chain of events involving a meth lord and his old enemies, he must use his skills to protect his family.

ActionThriller
46
Grudge Match poster

Grudge Match

20131h 53m3.3
Director: Peter Segal
Cast: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Alan Arkin, Jon Bernthal, Kevin Hart

Two aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to settle their decades-old feud with one final bout, 30 years after their last match.

Comedy
47
The Expendables 3 poster

The Expendables 3

20142h 6m3.4
Director: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson

Barney Ross and his team of mercenaries face their most personal challenge yet when they confront Conrad Stonebanks, Barney's former co-founder who has now become a ruthless arms dealer. To take down their old ally turned enemy, Barney recruits a new generation of younger, tech-savvy operatives to join the classic Expendables crew.

ActionAdventureThriller
48
Reach Me poster

Reach Me

20141h 35m2.7
Director: John Herzfeld
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Kyra Sedgwick, Thomas Jane, Terry Crews, Lauren Cohan

A diverse group of people find their lives interconnected through a self-help book written by a mysterious former football coach.

Drama
49
Creed poster

Creed

20152h 13m4.4
Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashād, Andre Ward

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.

DramaAction
50
Creed II poster

Creed II

20182h 10m4.1
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby

Adonis Creed faces his toughest challenge yet when he must balance personal responsibilities while preparing to fight an opponent connected to his family's history.

DramaAction
51
Escape Plan 2: Hades poster

Escape Plan 2: Hades

20181h 33m2.6
Director: Steven C. Miller
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Jesse Metcalfe, 50 Cent, Huang Xiaoming

Security specialist Ray Breslin must infiltrate an elaborate high-tech prison to rescue his kidnapped operative and trusted friend Shu Ren.

ActionThrillerCrimeMysteryScience Fiction
52
Backtrace poster

Backtrace

20181h 27m2.4
Director: Brian A. Miller
Cast: Matthew Modine, Ryan Guzman, Sylvester Stallone, Meadow Williams, Tyler Jon Olson

A lone survivor from a violent armored car heist is broken out of prison and subjected to an experimental drug treatment.

CrimeActionAdventureThriller
53
Escape Plan: The Extractors poster

Escape Plan: The Extractors

20191h 37m2.8
Director: John Herzfeld
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, 50 Cent, Max Zhang, Harry Shum Jr.

Security expert Ray Breslin and his team must execute a dangerous rescue mission to save both a kidnapped tech mogul's daughter and Breslin's girlfriend from a heavily fortified Latvian prison.

ActionThrillerCrime
54
Rambo: Last Blood poster

Rambo: Last Blood

20191h 29m3.7
Director: Adrian Grünberg
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal

After decades of conflict, John Rambo lives peacefully on his Arizona ranch until his surrogate granddaughter disappears in Mexico, forcing the aging warrior out of retirement for one final mission.

ActionThrillerDrama
55
Samaritan poster

Samaritan

20221h 42m3.8
Director: Julius Avery
Cast: Javon Walton, Sylvester Stallone, Dascha Polanco, Moisés Arias, Pilou Asbæk

A 13-year-old boy suspects his reclusive neighbor is actually a legendary superhero who supposedly died 25 years ago. As crime rises in their city, the boy tries to convince the mysterious man to come out of hiding and help save their community.

Science FictionCrimeAction
56
Expend4bles poster

Expend4bles

20231h 43m3.3
Director: Scott Waugh
Cast: Jason Statham, 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa

The Expendables return as the world's last line of defense, but new team members bring fresh tactics and styles that will change the legendary mercenary group forever.

ActionAdventureThriller
57
Armor poster

Armor

20241h 29m2.8
Director: Justin Routt
Cast: Jason Patric, Sylvester Stallone, Josh Wiggins, Dash Mihok, Blake Shields

An armored truck security guard and his son find themselves trapped on a bridge when a team of ruthless thieves attempts to steal the millions they're transporting between banks.

ActionCrimeThrillerDrama
58
Alarum poster

Alarum

20251h 35m3
Director: Michael Polish
Cast: Scott Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Willa Fitzgerald, Mike Colter, D.W. Moffett

Two married spies living in hiding at a winter resort find their peaceful retreat shattered when they become targets of an international intelligence network. Suspected of joining a rogue spy organization called Alarum, they must fight to survive and protect a critical asset.

ActionCrimeThriller