In 2015, fans of the Rocky franchise were skeptical when they heard that Sylvester Stallone’s character was going to be passing the torch to a new hero. But those fears were quashed with the release of Creed—an absolutely masterful reboot that not only lived up to the legacy of the franchise, but arguably surpassed it. Directed by Ryan Coogler, this movie introduced us to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), son of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Let’s take a look at how this movie breathed new life into the long-dormant Rocky franchise.
One of the things that make Creed so special is that it doesn’t just rely on its predecessors for inspiration. While still staying true to characters from previous Rocky movies, this film also introduces us to many new characters and further develops existing ones in meaningful ways. Adonis is an ambitious young boxer who wants to prove himself in his own right, but he can’t do it without the help of Balboa (Stallone). This relationship between two generations is what drives forward both characters and offers viewers an interesting narrative arc. The performances are also top-notch, with Jordan and Stallone being particularly memorable as their characters learn more about themselves and each other throughout the story.
Adonis Creed followed his passion for boxing in the first installment of the series, directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), only to discover that he needed more than just skill – Rocky Balboa taught Adonis how to be a better human being. In Creed II, Steven Caple Jr.’s follow-up film The Land, viewers saw this character journey continue into marriage and fatherhood as well as an emotional confrontation with old adversaries Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu).
On October 18th, 2022 diehard fans of Creed III were able to get an exclusive preview into the highly anticipated plot – a gripping tale featuring Adonis’ long-time friend Damien. After spending years in prison, he is determined to challenge his brother figure who left him behind for greater opportunities. As absence makes the heart grow fonder, Stallone’s iconic Rocky Balboa character takes a step back so that viewers can fully invest themselves in Adrian’s journey within this new installment of the franchise.
Michael B. Jordan takes the director’s chair for Creed III, and Jonathan Majors arrives as Damien Anderson – rival fighter to Adonis Creed. The impressive physical transformation of Majors has Simu Liu from Avengers: Kang Dynasty teasingly worried about their upcoming bout! With a first look at the poster revealed during this year’s Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, we can only imagine what awaits us when excitement builds even further around one of Hollywood’s biggest franchise films coming soon; an epic showdown between two spectacular forces – both on-screen and off!
Adonis Creed’s next epic journey has been rescheduled for a March 2023 cinematic release. After two major hits, the highly anticipated third chapter of Creed looks to surpass its predecessors with an action-packed theatrical debut – and it could potentially make Prime Video its streaming home after MGM was acquired by Amazon in early 2021. Fans across the world eagerly await this legendary story’s conclusion!
