Nancy Dowd spent time with her brother's Johnstown Jets team and recorded locker-room conversations for the dialogue. — Bill Simmons
The real team's Hanson brothers led the team in penalty minutes; Dave Killer Carlson draws on Dave Killer Hanson. — Bill Simmons
The cited budget is $6 million and the gross $28 million. — Bill Simmons
The colloquial Quebec French dub helped make the film a major favorite among French-speaking Canadians. — Bill Simmons
Rinks included Cambria County War Memorial, Starr Rink at Colgate, Utica Memorial Auditorium and Onondaga County War Memorial as Hyannisport. — Bill Simmons
Reggie was based on Long Island Ducks player-coach John Brophy, whose name was reused for the drunken opposing center. — Bill Simmons
The Jets' later history included a flood interruption, a short return and closure; the Carlson brothers were born close together and led the team in penalty minutes. — Bill Simmons
Jim Carr's toupee was modeled on Johnstown sportscaster Bill Wilson's wig. — Bill Simmons
The Carlson brothers said extras threw real punches during the crowd-fight shoot. Summer filming required pretending it was cold in heavy clothing. — Bill Simmons
Oglethorpe drew on Goldie Goldthorpe, credited with 25 fighting majors before Christmas in one season. — Bill Simmons
Real crowd fights and a pregame fight triggered by opponents wearing novelty glasses supplied incidents for the film. — Bill Simmons
Nancy Dowd's subsequent work included Coming Home and uncredited work on Straight Time, North Dallas Forty and Ordinary People, plus SNL; her brother played Oglethorpe. — Chris Ryan
Heat check: Leonard Gaines as Bill Ramada wins; Jism Jim and George Harper are alternatives. Larry Block's visible eye injury prompts a production anecdote.
Andy Mast's diner introduction is a scene nominee; his weekly fee and months of work prompt inflation and financing questions. The Grand Rapids family gathering and Kristen's friend establish repression and misdirect expectations. — Bill Simmons
The theater reveal is declared the best scene. Mast's theatrical surprise, discovery of the reel and delayed response to 'turn it off' are nitpicks. Scott's reaction and Mast's warning about wanting his daughter back expose unresolved forgiveness questions.
Great Shot Gordo: the distorted high-angle image of Scott losing his bearings and adult storefronts surrounding him convey immersion in the unfamiliar world. — Bill Simmons
The motel filming scene is praised as deliberately funny, especially the UCLA director, Scott's undercover look and dialogue; Serena's appearance prompts a biographical aside.
The seedy 1970s hotel setting is praised and linked to later homages such as True Romance. — Bill Simmons
Jake's Hollywood drive, ominous recurring score, shop admission and high camera angle are praised. CSNY's Helpless is singled out as an incongruously funny needle drop. — Bill Simmons
The auditions of Big Dick Black and Jism Jim are scene nominees, with exaggerated credentials, stage names and Scott reaching for a lamp praised for comedy.
Craig's text notes Jake's abrupt wig-and-shirt transformation; the panel asks why an unknown furniture maker needs a disguise and compares the look to Body Double. — Bill Simmons
Nikki and Jake's San Diego life talks and airport discussion of TULIP are praised for writing, chemistry and changing the film's energy.
Nikki's perspective and Hubley's comfort opposite Scott are praised; his softness in their scenes is distinctive.
The bondage-house wall breakthrough, slowed motion and green neon are memorable; the steep-hill fight and physical stunts are praised.
The theater reveal is selected again for its iconic impact; the first Mast meeting remains a favorite. Another choice shifts to Bill Ramada's office and right-man exchange, compared to The Big Lebowski's Ben Gazzara.
Rocky says Apollo won their private third fight. Bill doubts whether he is sparing the son’s feelings; Van thinks Apollo probably won. The uncertainty remains unresolved. — Bill Simmons
Nitpicks/unanswerable: Adonis’s financial-services job and work history are unclear, and weekend Tijuana boxing seems incompatible with managing clients’ money; Don Johnson is an appealing adviser-name joke.
Unanswerable: would Creed’s breakthrough uplift Philadelphia during poor Eagles and Sixers seasons? His Los Angeles–Philadelphia–Liverpool route is jokingly the reverse of Chris’s family migration.
Unanswerable: why does Rocky’s son not visit during chemotherapy, and did Tone Trump retain or post his photograph with Adonis after their fight? — Bill Simmons
Unanswerable: Adonis as the success of Philadelphia’s Process is a sports joke; Mary Anne’s wealth and his privileged upbringing are discussed without a firm financial answer.
The uninterrupted Leo–Donnie fight is nominated; the panel names its cinematographer and reports thirteen takes with the eleventh used. — Bill Simmons
Jordan reportedly told Bill he took a real punch for the eleventh-round knockdown at Stallone’s insistence, continuing a franchise tradition; the Leo fight is reiterated as aged best. — Bill Simmons
Philadelphia research identifies Victor’s Cafe as Adrian’s, Front Street as Mighty Mick’s gym location, and Max’s as the cheesesteak restaurant. — Bill Simmons
Research: the cannot-sing-or-dance shirt references Rocky’s skating date; Stallone requested the flag trunks; Paulie’s grave gives 1940–2012; Jordan gained 24 pounds of muscle and learned boxing; Bellew won a cruiserweight title months later. — Bill Simmons
PTI leading with the boxing match is nominated for aged worst.
Aged worst: Apollo’s 1985 death would make Donnie about 29, older than he seems. Setting Creed around 2010 is suggested; others question whether either movie’s internal year is fixed, leaving the chronology uncertain. — Bill Simmons
Aged worst: Bianca’s use of jawn now grates after wider popularization; her cheesesteak ingredients are questioned, though local preferences differ. — Chris Ryan
Van recalls receiving conflicting Philadelphia cheesesteak recommendations and ordering delivery after being warned against exploring at night; Bill had gone out. — Van Lathan
Van identifies Ishkabibble’s as his delivered cheesesteak; only some audience members approve. — Chris Ryan
Aged worst: Rocky never contacts Apollo’s widow after the funeral. Guilt over not stopping the fatal fight is offered as an explanation; the panel still argues he should have checked in.
Bill finds the film about twelve minutes too long but cannot name cuts; others object. A backstage film argument and Philadelphia basketball wishes interrupt the discussion.
Aged worst: printing and handing over a resignation letter seems unnecessarily formal. — Chris Ryan
Donnie’s pre-fight bathroom moment divides the panel between humanizing realism and a scene they do not need to see repeatedly. — Chris Ryan
The sidewalk promise of complete honesty ages poorly because Donnie lies to Bianca in later films. — Chris Ryan
Boxing’s diminished cultural importance is nominated, with a possible recent upswing acknowledged. MMA is considered as a modern substitute, but even praise for Warrior does not displace boxing’s cinematic appeal.
Weak link: Rocky briefly denying they are family feels mean and inconsistent to Bill. Others defend it as fear of attachment, bereavement and protective withdrawal; Van finds it acceptable.
Aged best: subtle Rocky homages, including chicken chasing and Kellerman contrasting Balboa’s body shots with Creed’s head shots.
Aged best: Rocky’s reluctant acceptance of training Donnie, especially the restaurant-food unloading and eventual gym arrival. — Chris Ryan
A provocative aged-best nomination praises emotional manipulation: Donnie reveals Rocky’s illness to get Bianca to open her door. The exchange is joking rather than an endorsement of real-world conduct. — Van Lathan
Aged best: realistic YouTube and 24/7 media touches, the large Mickey gym poster, and Coogler’s intimate camerawork in the upside-down kiss and cheesesteak booths. — Bill Simmons
Andre Ward’s career peak is debated against his earlier run and Kovalev fights; this period is only probably when he was most prominent, not a firm film-Apex award.
Aged best: Wood Harris as Duke’s son, with the irony of The Wire’s Avon refusing to train the actor who played Wallace; more Harris is a reason for sequels. — Bill Simmons
Aged best: Stallone was reportedly 69 at release, the same age as Burgess Meredith in Rocky. Donnie calling Rocky Unc is also introduced. — Bill Simmons
Burgess Meredith’s aged appearance prompts jokes about earlier roles and smoking.
Aged best: Conlan’s trainer and his demand that Adonis use Creed’s name; the Kobe-number 24 jacket is admired. Donnie’s fictional Los Angeles upbringing is offered as the reason he would idolize Kobe, whose Philadelphia connection is also noted. — Bill Simmons
Jordan reportedly told Bill he took a real punch for the eleventh-round knockdown at Stallone’s insistence, continuing a franchise tradition; the Leo fight is reiterated as aged best. — Bill Simmons
Aged best: producers taking a chance on young Coogler, and Bianca having an independent, written character rather than the obstructive sports-movie-girlfriend role. Rocky IV’s Adrian prompts a long mocking contrast.
Most Rewatchable Scene begins with young Adonis’s opening encounter with Mary Anne, praising a scene that works better than expected. — Bill Simmons
The opening adoption scene is essential to explaining Adonis’s feelings; the unclenched fist and title reveal are praised.
The Andre Ward car-key-bet fight is nominated, though watching Donnie beaten makes one host sad; Van compares it to humbling real boxing encounters. — Van Lathan
Donnie meeting Rocky at Adrian’s is praised for Stallone gradually recognizing Apollo’s son and the time-is-undefeated line. Rocky diminishing his own victories to honor Apollo reframes the franchise mythology.
Rocky says Apollo won their private third fight. Bill doubts whether he is sparing the son’s feelings; Van thinks Apollo probably won. The uncertainty remains unresolved. — Bill Simmons
Donnie moving into Paulie’s room leads to a scene using Stallone’s real son’s photograph; the hosts praise his visible emotion and report Coogler persuaded him to include it. Paulie’s absence and missing robot prompt jokes. — Bill Simmons
The uninterrupted Leo–Donnie fight is nominated; the panel names its cinematographer and reports thirteen takes with the eleventh used. — Bill Simmons
The two-round fight is praised as a culmination of boxing cinema, immersive proof of Jordan’s credibility and Coogler’s action ability. Its tie-ups and counterpunches feel more realistic than the Rocky-style finale; the camera’s move from Rocky’s instruction to the knockout is admired.
The Baby Creed confrontation with Tone Trump is a scene nominee, called a characteristically Philadelphia escalation between two easily offended men. Van had invited the rapper to attend. — Van Lathan
Van interprets Tone Trump and Bianca as former sexual partners; another host offers past flirtation without consummation as an alternative. Familiarity is agreed but sexual history remains speculation; a joint music track is imagined. — Van Lathan
A provocative joke links Bianca’s hearing loss to gunfire; the panel asks whether Baby Creed is insulting and suggests Adonis was primed to take offense.
The jailhouse reconciliation and its absent-father monologue are nominated, linked to the mirror-training advice. — Bill Simmons
The bikes-and-ATVs training montage is a thrilling modern counterpart to Rocky’s runs. Its Meek Mill music is framed against the 2015 Drake feud and explicitly wins the needle-drop category.
The press conference, Conlan’s false-Creed taunt, the trunks from his mother, Rocky’s pre-fight speech, Tupac’s Hail Mary and Conlan’s entrance are praised. — Bill Simmons
Adonis shadowboxing while watching his father’s footage is nominated as an image of wanting to become Apollo. — Van Lathan
The final fight is nominated, especially round two and the late corner exchange about not being a mistake. Rocky’s love and renewed will to fight his illness lead into the deliberately withheld Rocky theme; the implausibly timed finish is enjoyed with objections deferred. — Bill Simmons
The final museum-steps exchange about seeing one’s life is nominated.
Chris chooses the Meek Mill training montage and adds the cheesesteak first date as a particularly Philadelphia scene; the date also wins the food award.
Van favors the father-film shadowboxing and training montage; the recreated 24/7 fight promotion also impresses. Another final choice is the montage. Liev Schreiber’s narration and his Hard Knocks appearance prompt a tangent.
For Rob Lowe, this movie is rejected because of the 1980s hair; older appearances in The West Wing or Parks and Recreation are preferred. — Bill Simmons
For Demi Moore, G.I. Jane, The Substance, and Indecent Proposal are proposed. — Mallory Rubin
Indecent Proposal receives the strongest support. — Bill Simmons
The flex selection praises the dinner scene’s real romantic chemistry and imagines Reitman being delighted by unexpectedly strong acting. — Kyle Brandt
The selection receives agreement and a proud reaction. — Kyle Brandt
The clean air protest question about which one drew the cock and balls is chosen as best quote, with jokes about saying it in the Ringer bullpen. — Chris Ryan
An additional craziest-quote flex selects Time to meet God, with Just lay back and let it happen, baby as another candidate. A pre-recording joke about the first line is recalled.
A flex quote nomination singles out the exchange about the mother’s friend cheering Rick up after his father died, followed immediately by a change of subject. — Bill Simmons
The best-quote flex is recalled as the exchange about sex with the mother’s friend. — Bill Simmons
