Sylvester Stallone Didn't Want Apollo Creed to Die in 'Rocky IV'

The following contains spoilers for Rocky IV.The death of Apollo Creed in Rocky IVis one of the most devastating moments in cinema history. Although Apollo wasn't the lead in the boxing movie, his death shocked fans of the franchise, especially because of how tragic and unexpected it was. But as it turns out, Apollo's death wasn't exactly vital to the film's plot. In fact, Sylvester Stallone, the writer, director, and the star of the film didn't want him to die, and regrets the decision because he then could not replace Apollo with anyone.