The biggest surprise of the 2016 Oscars came when the Best Supporting Actor award was handed to Mark Rylance for his performance in Bridge Of Spies - and not, as just about everyone had been expecting, to Sylvester Stallone for Creed. Let's not be coy: we know very well that, once a prominent actor reaches Stallone's age, an award like this is more often than not a surrogate lifetime achievement award. For sentimental reasons alone, then, Stallone seemed a surefire winner. Not to mention the fact that this film saw him play his most famous role, a character he himself created, for the seventh time, and - more to the point - genuinely delivered one of his finest performances in the process. Still, this is simply the latest of many surprises for Stallone. His rollercoaster career has seen him go from anonymous B-movie actor, to acclaimed writer and director, to action movie icon, to laughing stock has-been, and back again. As with any acting career this long and eventful, it's often surprising to see which movies proved to be the biggest hits at the box office. Looking up which of Stallone's films made the most money worldwide (not adjusted for inflation) at Box Office Mojo, they're not all ones you would expect. For one thing, the original Rocky doesn't make the cut. But if we've learned anything of value from the Rocky movies, it's that winning isn't what counts, but rather standing your ground and going the distance. Stallone has built his career on this principle; let's follow his example now by going 15 rounds with the Italian Stallion, rating his biggest hits from worst to best.
