10 Movie Sequels Nobody Asked For But Ended Up Being Awesome

1990's Rocky V was such a depressing and sour coda for the franchise that fans couldn't possibly entertain the idea of Sly Stallone dusting Rocky Balboa off for a belated go-around some 15 years later.

The initial announcement of a self-titled sixth film was widely mocked by even the series' biggest fans, who had put the franchise to bed in their minds and felt that Sly getting back into the ring at the age of 60 would likely just re-open old wounds.

But at the time, Rocky Balboa was arguably the best of all the Rocky sequels, returning to the gritty underdog spirit of the original movie and leaning into Rocky's accelerating age rather than trying to disguise it.

And most importantly, it gave Rocky the ending he truly deserved, ditching the awful brain damage subplot from Rocky V and allowing the character to bow out with grace and dignity.

Of course Rocky ended up returning for the two Creed movies that followed, but considering the first one netted him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, it's safe to say it all worked out for the best.