Rocky IV: Sylvester Stallone Shares New Image of Him With Dolph Lundgren

Last year, Sylvester Stallone announced that he was re-editing the 1985 film Rocky IV, giving the film a new official director’s cut and since then, Stallone has kept fans in the loop on the project’s progress, sharing various updates to social media and now, as the director’s cut’s November release gets closer, he’s sharing not just an update, but a “very rare photo” of himself with Dolph Lundgren from the film.

On Instagram, Stallone shared the image, writing that it reminded him of an old fight poster before sharing some information about the new trailer for the director’s cut of Rocky IV.

“I came across this very rare photo that I’ve never seen it before, it just reminded me of an old fight poster from 100 years ago,” Stallone wrote. “Well, I just saw the NEW trailer for the new directors cut of Rocky IV. And in my humble estimation it is amazing. Great work by the trailer editors! This battle, with the new footage is extraordinary. Premiering in Philadelphia November 11!”

Originally released in 1985, Rocky IV was written, directed by, and starred Stallone as Rocky Balboa. The film was the fourth in the franchise that has since gone on to include eight films total with two more in development and saw Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Lundgren) enter the professional boxing world with the desire to take on World Champion Rocky. However, Rocky’s best friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) takes on Drago instead and is killed in the ring prompting an enraged Rocky to fight Drago in the Soviet Union to avenge his friend’s death as well as defend the honor of his country.

Stallone announced earlier this year that the director’s cut would officially be titled “Rocky Vs Drago – The Ultimate Director’s Cut“ and that a full-length behind-the-scenes documentary about the creation of the cut, “Keep Punching: The Present Meets the Past“, will also be released.

“If you can go back to recut your film, I guarantee you you would approach it with a sensitivity and a wisdom, and a confidence, ‘oh, why didn’t I see that before?’” Stallone says in previously released footage from Keep Punching. “All of us are entitled to follow our dreams, to stick to our beliefs, because in the end that’s all you have and if you keep believing in that eventually your dreams will come true.”

Rocky vs Drago – The Ultimate Director’s Cut is set to be released on November 11th.