For several decades now, there have been few franchises as reliable as the Rocky movies. Sylvester Stallone just kept punching his way to the box office with one, two, three, six movies—and the series was given a new life with the more recent Creed spin-offs, starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, son of Apollo. Just as you can always rely on the sun rising and setting, you can always rely on Stallone popping an old fedora on his head and getting back into character as the Philly boxing star.

Creed II is no exception, once again featuring Stallone as an aging Rocky who trains headstrong Adonis. Perhaps this is a mild spoiler—but the film doesn’t read as Rocky’s swan song. Yet Stallone has just made waves by saying precisely that, telling fans in an Instagram post on Wednesday that Creed II is the last time he’ll be playing Rocky.

“I am reposting this because there was a technical difficulty,” his caption began. “I just want to thank everyone around the whole wide World for taking the Rocky family into their hearts for over 40 years. It’s been my Ultimate privilege to have been able to create and play this meaningful character. Though it breaks my heart, Sadly all things must pass... and end. I love you Kind and generous people, and The most wonderful thing of all, is that ROCKY will never die because he lives on in you.”

The Instagram post itself is a video of Stallone on the Creed II set, delivering a speech to the cast and crew. “This is probably my last rodeo,” he says in the clip, reminiscing about the way the Rocky franchise has carried on over the years. “I thought Rocky was over in 2006, and I was very happy with that,” he says. But then Creed came along and re-lit the torch, taking the series in a new direction. “My story has been told,” Stallone continues. “There’s a whole new world that’s gonna be opening up,” thanks to director Steven Caple Jr. picking up where Ryan Coogler left off, and Creed star Michael B. Jordan. “Now you have to carry the mantle,” he tells Jordan, who comes over and embraces Stallone.

So, this is really it for Rocky Balboa? We’ll never see him again? We’re just supposed to accept that his story line ends in Creed II? How will that be explained if and when Creed III rolls around?? Knowing Stallone’s fondness for sequels (he’s making another Rambo, for crying out loud), perhaps someone will persuade him to change his mind. Never count Rocky out—that’s the moral of the franchise, right?

More Great Stories from Vanity Fair

— Go deep inside the Academy’s popular-Oscar mess

— Comedy M.V.P. Jason Mantzoukas is taking center stage

— Patricia Arquette’s getting the best roles of her life

— Fantastic Beasts: Examining the puzzle of Dumbledore’s sexual orientation

— It’s O.K.—you can like Netflix’s new artfully made Dogs series

Looking for more? Sign up for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss a story.