Rocky III is a 1982 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is the sequel to Rocky II (1979) and the third installment in the Rocky franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith. In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) faces stiff competition from Clubber Lang (Mr. T), a powerful new contender, and turns to his old adversary Apollo Creed (Weathers) to help him train.
Development of a third Rocky film began soon after the release of Rocky II. Stallone began a strict diet and workout regimen in preparation. Despite the returns of the original cast being secured quickly, casting for Lang proved difficult, with real boxers Joe Frazier and Ernie Shavers attached to the project at various points. Mr. T was hired in 1981 after appearing on the television series Games People Play, and the film is considered his breakthrough role. Rocky III is the first film in the franchise not solely distributed by United Artists, due to the company's merger with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1981.
Rocky III was released in the United States on May 28, 1982, by MGM/UA Entertainment Co. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its action sequences and music, but criticism for its screenplay, with some critics deeming the film unnecessary. Retrospective reviews have been more positive and the movie gained a strong cult following. Rocky III grossed $270 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessors to become the then-highest-grossing film in the franchise, and the fourth-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office and the second-highest-grossing film of 1982 worldwide. Its theme song, "Eye of the Tiger", became a hit single and received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 55th Academy Awards. A sequel, Rocky IV, was released in 1985.
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