The production of Creed III has been confirmed, with Michael B. Jordan slated to return for his third outing as Adonis Creed. The news of Creed III‘s ongoing development came in February 2020 in the shape of a writer announcement, with Zach Baylin on board to provide the script. Little else is known at this stage.
The conclusion of the Creed trilogy
Creed III is just one of Jordan’s film commitments. And he has shown that he is worth the wait. Jordan’s Adonis Creed is as integral to the Rocky series as Sylvester Stallone’s titular character was in the earlier films. Creed II was released in 2018 and delivered a compelling story for Jordan’s character.
The continuation of a mega-franchise
It’s no surprise that the production of Creed III was greenlit, given the global success of the Rocky movie franchise. Creed III will be the ninth installment overall in the series, completing the Creed trilogy that complements the six Rocky movies. Stallone’s Rocky, Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed, and now Jordan’s Adonis Creed are recognized as some of the most iconic sporting movie characters of all time.
Few could have anticipated that the heartwarming underdog story of the 1976 movie Rocky would spawn a film series that would still be going strong over four decades later, but its themes and its characters have proven highly influential in several areas of the entertainment industry. Balboa’s story went from the screen to the stage in the shape of 2012’s Rocky the Musical, which premiered first in Hamburg before hitting Broadway in 2014. Stallone co-wrote the musical’s book with Thomas Meehan, with the show incorporating Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’ from the original movie.
Rocky has also influenced the worlds of iGaming and video gaming. Playtech’s Rocky slot is considered among the best online slots at new casinos, with the reels featuring a string of Rocky’s most famous opponents: Apollo Creed, Ivan Drago, and Clubber Lang. The inclusion of a Knockout Bonus gives players the chance to share in the euphoria of Rocky’s victories. A similar feeling can be found in Survios’ virtual reality boxing game, Creed: Rise to Glory. This time, players put on Adonis Creed’s gloves as they progress through his boxing career, with Balboa present to give tips.
Gamers who want to virtually recreate the events of the earlier films have Rage Software’s 2002 Rocky video game, which takes players on Rocky’s rise from club fighter to boxing champ. Anyone who wants to physically recreate events from the movie can run up the previously unheralded stairs leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The steps that Stallone’s character runs up in an iconic training scene from the 1976 film have since been dubbed the Rocky Steps, proof that Rocky‘s legacy stretches far beyond most movie franchises.
Commissioning a third Creed movie must have been a no-brainer for MGM, given that the names of Creed and Rocky have a pull on generations of moviegoers. Rumors indicate that a 2022 release date might be the best that Creed fans can hope for, but it’ll be worth it to see Jordan return in the title role. We’re certain he’ll knock it out of the box!
