Dolph Lundgren collaborated with director Steven Caple Jr. to change his physique and age the character of Drago to visually translate the poverty and suffering endured, as he colored in his teeth yellow.
Rocky, who is now training Apollo Creed's son, is two years older than Mickey was when he trained Balboa in the original Rocky (1976).
Just like Rocky IV (1985), none of the prominent Russian characters are played by Russian actors. Dolph Lundgren is Swedish, Florian Munteanu is German-Romanian, and Brigitte Nielsen is Danish.
Brigitte Nielsen, who reprises her role from Rocky IV (1985) as Ivan Drago's ex-wife Ludmilla, is in real life the ex-wife of Sylvester Stallone. They were engaged during filming of Rocky IV, married after the premiere, and divorced two years later.