Just when fans of the boxing film
franchise “Rocky” have accepted that the story of Sylvester Stallone’s
iron-chinned underdog fighter ended in 2006’s “Rocky Balboa,” they were
pleasantly surprised in 2015 by “Creed,” which featured the actor’s iconic
character return as the aged mentor of a new boxer portrayed by Michael B.
Jordan. “Creed II” followed in 2018, showing a new story narrative wherein
Rocky and his champion Adonis Creed (Jordan) faced the former’s Russian rival
who was coaching his son and successor. This sequel seemed to make a good
pattern for further plots about Rocky, only for “Creed III” to reveal that the
character and actor will not return.
Comic Book Resources has it that there is a good reason for
Sylvester Stallone to bow out of the upcoming third installment of the “Creed”
films. Last week the veteran actor surprised the public with the announcement
that Rocky will not be around for “Creed III.” And six days later Adonis Creed,
Michael B. Jordan himself, shed light on the decision for the film franchise to
move forward without the wise coach and former hero. Stallone/Rocky being in
the first two “Creed” films was just to set up that Adonis was ready to fly
solo.
Jordan confirmed that he knew of
Stallone’s decision to bow out of the role but explains, “I think, you know,
his essence and his spirit… There's always going to be a little bit of Rocky
within Adonis." Now that the character of Adonis Creed is well
established, it was time the franchise centered on him. While Jordan and the production
love and respect Stallone for providing the foundation for the “Creed” universe
in the first place, in the actor’s opinion “We really want to push and navigate
Adonis forward and the family that he created."
That can be taken on the highest
authority where “Creed III” is concerned, since Michael B. Jordan is also
directing the movie, marking his debut on the big chair. At least the rest of principal
cast are still there, with Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad as Adonis Creed’s
wife and adoptive mother, respectively. There has been no word however on how the
story will explain Rocky’s absence in the latest sequel, whether simply being
way or passing on like his generation of characters before him.
As for Sylvester Stallone, his
own latest project is with James Gunn’s DC Extended Universe movie “The Suicide
Squad,” where he will provide the voice for King Shark, a fish-human
super-villain who was incarcerated and drafted into the titular black-ops team
of convicts on a new cinematic black-comedy action extravaganza. This will
release August 6 while “Creed III” is shooting for a November 2022 premiere.
Image from WorldNewsEra.com
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