Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight “The General” Manfredi made his return last month as Taylor Sheridan’s Tulsa King launched its fourth season. The opening episode, “W.W.D.D.,” was written by Terence Winter and directed by Guy Ferland. It quickly climbed to the top of Paramount+, extending Sheridan’s success on the streaming service.
Season 4 has also earned an 86% average approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes after its first three episodes, giving it the second-highest rating of the series so far.
In the latest episode, Governor Clark turned his attention to Dwight and his crew, adding to the tension as the season approaches its halfway point. While Stallone has delivered plenty of memorable performances throughout his career, his portrayal of Dwight is now among his most recognizable roles. However, few characters have had a greater impact on his legacy than Rocky Balboa, the underdog boxer who first appeared on screen in 1976.
The original Rocky quickly became a cultural phenomenon, earning 10 Academy Award nominations and taking home the coveted Best Picture prize.
The franchise struggled to recapture the original film’s success across its five follow-up installments. That changed in 2015 with Creed, which brought a fresh direction to the series under the guidance of rising filmmaker Ryan Coogler. Having previously worked together on the acclaimed biographical drama Fruitvale Station, Coogler cast Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed. In the film, Adonis turns to Stallone’s Rocky for guidance as his trainer and mentor.
More than a decade after its release, Creed is enjoying renewed success on streaming, including a 70-day run as a hit on Pluto TV.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan Celebrate Major Oscar Wins
The creative partnership between Jordan and Coogler has continued to grow since Creed. Earlier this year, the pair reached another career milestone with Sinners, their acclaimed vampire musical horror film, which collected four Academy Awards.
Among its major victories was Jordan’s win for Best Actor. The film also received Oscars for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Original Screenplay, adding to its success at several other major awards ceremonies.
