10 Best Carl Weathers Movies, Ranked

Coming from a professional sports background, having played 5 seasons in the NFL, Carl Weathers is considered one of the best athlete-turned-actors. He lit up the screen whether he was going the full 15 rounds with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) as Apollo Creed or on the hunt for an alien Predator in the South American jungle with Arnold Schwarzenneger. Weathers' undeniable charisma, magnetism, and earnestness helped make the Rocky franchise so successful. His onscreen presence even spawned the Creed trilogy sequel, which tells the story of his son, Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), years after he passed away in Rocky IV.

Weathers proved throughout his career that he was far from a one-trick pony. He parlayed his success from his role as Apollo Creed into several other notable projects; not all revolved around his hulking physicality, but they all cashed in on his one-of-a-kind charm. Much like how Creed went from being the enemy to a trusted friend and confidante of Rocky, Weathers went from being known as the bad guy before gaining recognition as an action hero and funny man. Weathers' best movies effectively capture his unique brand, and his rich film legacy cements him as a titan of the silver screen.

10 'Force 10 from Navarone' (1978)

Director: Guy Hamilton

Weathers had already made a name for himself in Rocky when he signed on for the part of Sergeant Olen Weaver in the Harrison Ford/Robert Shaw-led war movie Force 10 from Navarone. Loosely based on the 1968 novel of the same name by Alistair MacLean, Force 10 from Navarone is a World War II tale about a covert group of soldiers sent to hunt down a German spy who betrayed the Americans.

Weathers' biggest and best moment in the film is when he engages an enemy named Drazak, played by the memorable Bond villain actor Richard Kiel, in a knife fight and ends up getting the better of the huge Nazi soldier. Weathers still shines as part of the ensemble, and while Force 10 from Navarone is far from perfect, it remains a competent action film, largely thanks to its ever-reliable cast.

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9 'Toy Story 4' (2019)

Director: Josh Cooley

It feels like Carl Weathers got to experience a little bit of all the things that make Hollywood and movies so magical. One of the few things that were missing from his resume as he got older and into his 70s was a foray into the animated world of Disney Pixar. Weathers had one of the most unmistakable voices in the industry, and it's a little surprising that it took him so long to get in the sound booth and lend his skills to an animated feature. But when Toy Story 4 rolled around, he cashed in.

Move over Woody and Buzz and make room for Combat Carl. The name kind of gives it away as Combat Carl is a rigorous and stern G.I Joe-like presence who appears after Woody reunites with Bo Peep. Weathers' distinctive voice fits the action figure perfectly, acting as one of the film's brightest spots. Many consider Toy Story 4an unnecessary fourth entry, but characters like Combat Carl and Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom make the film an unforgettable addition to the series.

Toy Story 4

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8 'Hurricane Smith' (1992)

Director: Colin Budds

Even though Action Jackson didn't get the reviews that Weathers and its producers wanted, the performer proved that he could headline action movies that would turn a profit. One of the least seen of these is the 1992 romp Hurricane Smith - not to be confused with the Denzel Washington movie, Hurricane. It feels like the role Weathers was born to play as a force to be reckoned with while he heads down under to Australia to retrieve his abducted sister.

There is a bevy of fun and pulpy low-budget action as Hurricane gets involved with some drug smugglers. The highlight of the film is the jet boat chase sequence that ends with Hurricane sending it airborne and crashing into a building. Hurricane Smith is purely a Saturday night guilty pleasure and a must-see if you're a fan of the late Carl Weathers or Apollo Creed. Indeed, Weathers is worth the price of admission, delivering a confident and fresh performance that ranks among his coolest.

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7 'Happy Gilmore' (1996)

Director: Dennis Dugan

Weathers proved he could land a haymaker within the comedy genre, too, when he took on the role of Chubbs Peterson in the hugely successful Adam Sandler comedy Happy Gilmore. Weathers plays a subtle knockoff of his inspirational Apollo Creed role in Rocky III as the unorthodox golfer's instructor and mentor. An unfortunate incident with an alligator cost him his right hand and forced him away from his competitive golf-playing days.

For a lot of fans, getting to see him take a lighthearted jab at his serious roles was a welcome departure. His role as Chubbs is his only real foray into comedy, and he proved he could hold his own with a comedy icon like Sandler. Weathers left audiences wanting more of this funny version, but he returned to more dramatic roles instead. We'll always have the one-handed Chubbs, though.

Happy Gilmore (1996)

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6 'Action Jackson' (1988)

Director: Craig R. Baxley

Weathers finally received top billing in an action flick that is better than it is given credit for. 1988's Action Jackson had an A-list cast at the time starring Craig T. Nelson, a young Sharon Stone, and Vanity but was a true Weathers vehicle. As Detective Sergeant Jericho "Action" Jackson" Weathers is tabbed with taking down a Detroit auto magnate, Peter Anthony Dellaplane (Nelson).

Audiences knew what they were going to get with Action Jackson, and it delivered its fair share of thrills and spills. Weathers brings his alpha masculinity to a part that sees him assist a local lounger singer (Vanity) in uncovering some illegal activities concerning Dellaplane and his company, who is also trying to frame Jackson for murder. Action Jackson is a product of the mid-80s and was a commercial success for Weathers, grossing an estimated $20 million at the box office.

Action Jackson

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5 'Rocky III' (1982)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Rocky III was a game-changer for the franchise. For the first time in his role as Apollo Creed, Weathers had to rely completely on his acting chops, as he is no longer Rocky's rival but his trainer following the death of the beloved Mickey (Burgess Meredith). This is the transition for Creed in the franchise from the ferocious enemy to the Italian Stallion's supporter and confidant. For many, Rocky III was the first time getting to see Weathers not rely on his brutish physicality and rely more on his silver-tongued wit.

This had to be the most challenging role that Weathers had taken on in his young acting career, stepping out of his comfort zone as the fast-talking, electrifying pugilist. In the third installment of the franchise, Weathers takes on a more avuncular role as Rocky's inspiration and support. There would be no Balboa-Creed epic heavyweight fight to punctuate this iteration of Apollo Creed, and Weathers again showed that he could deftly handle a more nuanced version of the character.

Rocky III

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4 'Predator' (1987)

Director: John McTiernan

Weathers traded in his boxing gloves for a machine gun in the 1987 megahit Predator. He also traded in one legendary action icon for another when Arnold Schwarzenegger was the main draw instead of Sylvester Stallone. The hugely successful blockbuster about a camouflage alien hunter picking off a group of elite roughneck military men in the jungles of South America made a whopping $98 million worldwide and spawned a handful of sequels and crossovers.

In Predator, Weathers plays Colonel Al Dillon, a high-ranking officer who recruits a group of mercenaries to investigate a platoon of soldiers that has gone missing in the deep and lush subtropical jungle. Dillon and Dutch (Schwarzenneger) are old friends from back in their army days, and he uses that tie to get Dutch and his crew to help him track down the mysterious predator. Predator showcases Weathers at his most badass in a complex role that remains one of his best-known. He gets to play a character with an ulterior motive and handles the duplicitous Dillon role with aplomb.

Predator

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3 'Rocky II' (1979)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

The original Rocky was such a surprise hit that they had to stage a rematch with the two heavyweight fighters, Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. Only this time, Creed isn't about to underestimate the humble kid from the streets of Philly; he is preparing for the rematch as hard as any fight of his career. But try as he might, Rocky is ready for the fight, too, and is ready to do better than the split decision loss that he suffered in the first fight.

In Rocky II, Weathers goes even deeper into the role of Creed. He gives fans more of the brash and irreverent champion who never lets a good press opportunity go to waste while promoting what is to be the biggest heavyweight championship fight of all time. Weathers' grandiose bravado is a huge element of what makes the Rocky/Creed dichotomy work so effectively. In the end, it's another thrilling match that goes the distance, but this time, it is Rocky who emerges victorious and claims the belt.

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2 'Rocky IV' (1985)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

So what makes Carl Weathers so much better in Rocky IV than in predecessors? Simply put, it required a much more layered and physically vulnerable performance, and he shines in it. Apollo Creed comes out of retirement for an exhibition against the bulging and physically imposing Russian fighter Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). The monolithic Drago is the toughest test of Creed's career, and Weather's representation of an over-the-top grandstanding American entertainer in the fight is one of the best sequences of the entire franchise.

Unfortunately, this sequence also offers one of the biggest gut punches of the RCU. When Apollo underestimates the power of the massive Russian fighter, he gets hammered and barely makes it out of the first round without getting knocked out. This is Creed at his most vulnerable but also with that unmistakable polecat swagger and heart that made him a champion. Should Rocky have thrown in the towel before Drago lands a coup de gras right hand and kills the great heavyweight? It's a question that tortures Rocky for the rest of the film and his life. Rocky IV is Weathers' swan song for the role that immortalized him, a heartbreaking send-off to a character few expected to love as much as they did.

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1 'Rocky' (1976)

Director: John G. Avildsen

Carl Weathers had no idea when he took the role of Apollo Creed in 1976's seminal boxing classic Rocky that it would become his lasting legacy in Hollywood. The football linebacker turned villain who played the part with a confident blend of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard was the perfect foil and antagonist to the reserved and mild-mannered Rocky Balboa. His flashy take on the boxer made the original a much better film, and he was so good in the part that he would come back three more times to reprise the character.

Apollo Creed was so influential that once Rocky hung up his gloves, he gave way to Apollo's son Adonis in a trilogy of sequels named simply Creed. In a way, Weathers was a part of seven of the Rocky Cinematic Universe's movies either as a fighter or the inspiration for Rocky and then his son Adonis. The amount of traction that Hollywood and Stallone got out of Weathers's singular performance as Apollo can never be underestimated and the late actor will always be remembered for the work he put into one of the greatest sporting franchises in the history of film.

Rocky

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