I never really cared too much about the rocky franchise either. Only ever saw Rocky, Rocky Balboa, and Creed. Creed was fucking amazing.
Let me tell you the story of a movie released this year. A 7th installment of a franchise, featuring aging actors returning to the roles they had played 30+ years ago, in a sort of sequel/soft reboot of said franchise, that pays homage to the original while at the same time is really a passing of the torch from the old actors to a new, younger set of actors to continue the saga. This film will basically be the same story/plot as the first movie of the franchise. It will also utilize some dramatic and plot elements that happened twice before, basically telling the same narrative for a 3rd time.
Yet this movie will feature a tender yet rich emotional story with engaging character development. It will feature real human struggle and growth, overcoming obstacles and becoming stronger from adversity. Even if it's the same story already told twice before in the franchise, it never feels like a copy, it's a film that stands on it's own, the call backs add to it's strengths and progresses the plot, it never feels like fan service. It is a rewarding and engaging experience on it's own merits, a movie with real heart and a soul.
That movie is called Creed.
Some faggot named JJ abrams tried the same thing under similar constraints but failed in nearly every aspect of the above. In fact had I never seen Creed and saw how a movie like this could and should have been made, I probably would of given the force awakens 6 out of 10, rather than the 4.5/10 which is what that soulless meh film deserved.