(Left) Director Steven Caple Jr. on the set of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production. (Right) Will Smith in 2007’s ‘I Am Legend.’
Preview:
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ director Steven Caple Jr. is being considered for ‘I Am Legend 2’.
Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan are starring in and producing the movie.
Akiva Goldsman’s writing the script and shepherding the film.
Given that the last proper update on an attempt to make a sequel to 2007 post-apocalyptic Will Smith thriller ‘I Am Legend’ was all the way back in 2022, you might be forgiven for having forgotten it was happening at all.
Yet, despite the excitement back then (especially with word that Smith is returning to star and will be joined this time by ‘Creed’ and ‘Black Panther’ actor Michael B. Jordan) and the occasional mild update on its status, things have been largely quiet until now.
Writer and producer Akiva Goldsman used an appearance on a Collider producers’ panel at this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con to reveal that he was still busy writing, having met with Smith and Jordan and cracked into a second draft.
Now, according to Deadline, there is a new name in the mix, as ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ director Steven Caple Jr., who had been in early talks to direct a follow-up melding the Robots in Disguise with the ‘G.I. Joe’ movie franchise, is now Warner Bros.’ top pick to handle ‘I Am Legend 2’.
The trade site is at pains to point out that it’s early days for this and that the studio met with other directors, but Caple Jr. has one helpful advantage in that he worked with Jordan on ‘Creed II’.
‘I am Legend’, in case it has slipped into the cloudy recesses of your memory, saw writers Goldsman and Mark Protosevich adapting Richard Matheson’s much-praised 1954 novel, which posited a world where a devastating virus had wiped out almost all of humanity and turned the rest into vampire-like mutants who roam the world looking for victims.
Robert Neville, the focus of the story, goes on a mission to find the scientific basis for the pandemic that caused all this, and chronicles his increasingly stressed encounters with his fellow former humans.
The book was adapted several times into movies, including 1964’s ‘The Last Man on Earth’, 1971’s ‘The Omega Man’ and then the 2007 movie.
In that adaptation, directed by ‘Constantine’s Lawrence, Smith plays Neville, who is an army virologist surviving in a ruined New York and looking to find a cure for the virus that caused all the trouble – which was originally a mutated measles strain intended to cure cancer. His wife and daughter died in a helicopter crash as they attempted to flee a quarantine of Manhattan and Neville has company in the shape of his German Shepherd dog Sam.
And so as to avoid spoilers for the film (even if it is 17 years old now), we’ll just say that things don’t go so well for Neville. Yet there was an alternate ending (seen on some home entertainment releases) in which he survived.
Where will ‘I Am Legend 2’ go?
Will Smith in 2007’s ‘I Am Legend.’
According to writer Goldsman, the plan for the new movie is to continue the story in the world where Smith’s character lives and trying to survive in the vampire-infested landscape is still not easy.
Here’s what Goldsman said at Comic-Con about the idea:
“The world returns in a way that is kind of spectacular –– an exciting playground for all of us –– not your father’s ‘I Am Legend’.”
When will ‘I Am Legend 2’ be in theaters?
The ‘I Am Legend’ follow-up does not, as yet, have a release date set.
Director Steven Caple Jr. on the set of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’ Paramount Pictures and Skydance Present in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures, a di Bonaventura Pictures Production, a Tom Desanto /Don Murphy Production, a Bay Films Production.
While the ‘Black Panther’ writer/director has concocted a new, original movie, we don’t yet know much about it beyond the fact that it’ll star Coogler’s regular collaborator, Michael B. Jordan, and was snapped up by Warner Bros. as a big event film.
Michael B. Jordan as John Kelly in Prime Video’s ‘Without Remorse.’
The new project began life as a spec script from Coogler, his first in years. But since it’s all still at an early stage, the filmmaker is keeping the plot details quiet for now.
What has been ferreted out at this point? It’s apparently a genre title, and a period piece and might –– stress on the might –– feature a vampire element.
Jordan will be starring, and O’Connell, according to the latest report, is playing the villain.
(L to R) Zinzi Evans and Ryan Coogler arrive at the 14th Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Alongside Coogler (who will direct his script), Jordan and now O’Connell, this team includes producers Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian plus Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, Rebecca Cho, and Will Greenfield, who will work as executive producers as they’re collaborating with Coogler in his production company.
Warner Bros. won out over rival studios and streamers to back the new movie and has already handed down a release date (more on that below).
The cameras are due to start rolling this month so as to have the movie ready in time for next year.
What else are Jordan and Coogler up to?
(Left) ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ director Ryan Coogler. (Right) Michael B. Jordan directs and stars as Adonis Creed in ‘Creed III.’
Coogler still has elements from his Marvel work in play, including producing the ‘Ironheart’ series that focuses on the comic book character Riri Williams (played by Dominique Thorne) brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe by ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, and overseeing the ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ animated spin-off of his ‘Panther’ movies.
Beyond that, he was recently announced as one of the producers of a movie musical featuring the tunes of Prince.
As for Jordan, he’s attached to star in the ‘I Am Legend’ sequel and will return to star (and once more direct) in a fourth entry of the ‘Creed’ boxing franchise.
When will the new movie be in theaters?
Warner Bros. has set a March 7th, 2025, release date for the film, so start anticipating more cinematic goodness from Coogler and Jordan.
(L to R) Michael B. Jordan and Kevin Durand in ‘Fruitvale Station.’ Photo: The Weinstein Company.
(Left) ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ director Ryan Coogler. (Right) Michael B. Jordan directs and stars as Adonis Creed in ‘Creed III.’
Preview:
Director Ryan Coogler is working on a mysterious new movie.
Regular collaborator Michael B. Jordan is attached to star.
The script is described as a genre title with period elements.
Having been busy in franchise world for the last few years (working on ‘Creed’ and ‘Black Panther’ movies), it’s good to see Ryan Coogler taking the opportunity to get back to something he’s solely responsible for creating.
And in even more exciting news, this new movie will find him reuniting with regular collaborator Michael B. Jordan.
What’s the new Ryan Coogler/Michael B. Jordan movie?
(L to R) Zinzi Evans and Ryan Coogler arrive at the 14th Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on Tuesday, January 9, 2024
After a few years of working with Marvel, it seems that Coogler has decided to adopt their security protocols for the new screenplay he’s shopping around to studios and elsewhere.
Interested parties had to visit the offices of Coogler’s representatives, WME, to read the script, which is being kept as mysterious as possible. The Hollywood Reporter, nevertheless, has learned that the new, untitled project is a genre piece that will have period elements.
And other sources are pointing to the potential inclusion of vampires in the movie. But we will have to wait and see whether that is misdirection or an actual element in the new story.
The script is a spec effort, the first from Coogler since ‘Fruitvale Station’ and produced via his company, Proximity Media. Coogler will next meet with companies who spark to the script to lay out his vision.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan: A History
(L to R) Michael B. Jordan and Kevin Durand in ‘Fruitvale Station.’ Photo: The Weinstein Company.
Writer/director/producer Coogler and actor Jordan have a solid history of working together. They broke out together with 2013’s ‘Fruitvale Station’, which was a big success at the Sundance Film Festival and then crossed over in to mainstream appreciation.
The pair followed that up in 2015 with ‘Creed’, the first of the spin-offs from the ‘Rocky’ boxing franchise that saw Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa befriending and training Adonis “Donnie” Creed, the son of old rival and friend Apollo Creed. Jordan played Adonis in that movie.
As a movie series, ‘Creed’ would go on to be a lucrative one for both of them –– Coogler would produce the two (so far) sequels, with Jordan starring in all and directing the third last year.
But perhaps their biggest success to date has been the first ‘Black Panther’ movie, which Coogler co-wrote, produced and directed and cast Jordan as Erik Killmonger, a disenfranchised young man of Wakandan royal descent who plots to take the throne of the powerful African Kingdom. The Marvel movie became a pop cultural sensation and a box office hit, with Coogler returning for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ in 2022.
When will the new movie be in theaters?
As the new movie exists only as a script and is still connecting with buyers, it doesn’t yet have a release date.
Producer Irvin Winkler says that a fourth ‘Creed’ is in development.
Star Michael B. Jordan is reportedly on board to direct.
No other details have been revealed yet.
With the ‘Creed’ franchise having spawned a successful third entry this year (‘Creed III’ earned $275 million worldwide), the producing team naturally have their eye on another movie.
Michael B. Jordan, who has played Adonis Creed since 2015’s ‘Creed’, stepped behind the camera to direct ‘Creed III’, which hit theaters this past March and co-starred a returning Tessa Thompson alongside Jonathan Majors as an old friend of the title character who seeks retribution for past wrongs.
Winkler didn’t mince words when suggesting that Jordan would be back making the new movie.
Here’s what the producer said:
“He will be. He did such a great job — he was comfortable with the camera.”
Neither production studio Amazon/MGM has said anything official about Jordan’s return, but it’s safe to assume the job is his if he wants it.
As of right now, no one is saying anything about what the story of the new ‘Creed’ might entail. And, Winkler acknowledged, the writers and actors’ strikes put a halt to forward movement.
Here’s what Winkler said about the movie:
“We are planning to do ‘Creed IV’ right now. We have a really good story and a really good plot. We got a little delayed because of the strikes, but about a year from now we’re going into pre-production.”
Given that ‘Rocky IV’ introduced Ivan Drago (and the ‘Creed’ films have already revisited that character), there’s every chance the new movie will see Adonis handle his own big new boxing threat –– and deal once again with his aging physique.
According to Winkler, the team worked hard to make sure the third ‘Creed’ fit into the franchise.
“Michael and the creative team had the beautiful vision from the start to create a wholly new and different experience for this movie. It had to be firmly cemented in what we all [know] the ‘Creed’ and ‘Rocky’ movies for… it had to have great action, boxing, but we also really examined what kind of movie we were making. And a lot of that, those early days with Michael were spent crafting how we were looking at the Damian [Majors] character, which is why I think everyone responded to the depth, not only on the page, but also on the screen. You spend half the movie having deep sympathy for him and understanding his vulnerability.”
When is ‘Creed IV’ due in theaters?
‘Creed IV’ has yet to announce a release date. But if it truly enters pre-production a year from now, it could be out in mid-2025.
Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed faces off against Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson in ‘Creed III’. This movie also serves as Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut who has been starring in the sports franchise since 2015.
Following the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II’, Adonis “Donnie” Creed is considering retirement as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World when his childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian “Dame” Anderson comes back into his life, throwing everything into disarray. The film puts the two former friends at odds and Donnie will have to fight in the most emotional match yet.
“After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damien Anderson, resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damien – a fighter who has nothing to lose.”
‘Creed III’ opened to $58.3 million domestially, $22 million more than ‘Creed II’. It is certified Tomatoe-meter fresh with a 89% score from critics and 96% from audience. The third installment has grossed $272 million worldwide since it’s release.
Helming a popular franchise such as ‘Creed’ is no easy task, yet Michael B. Jordan took on the challenge of being both the lead of the film and stepping behind the camera to direct. The star’s impressive resume and dedication shows as the film balances its action, heart, and humor extremely well.
Jordan kept the tone from the the previous ‘Creed’ films such as the action and redemption arc while adding his own flavor like utilizing slow-motion in the ring. This helped emphasis each punch and by using it sparingly, it didn’t make it feel like a gimmick. Jordan’s love of anime can also be seen in his directorial style. The actor has spoken about his love for animes such as ‘Naruto’, ‘Dragonball Z’, and ‘One Piece’, and using it as a visual reference for some of the fight scenes.
Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau light the actors in such a unique and abstract way for the final match, using colors like red and green to emphasis what they’re feeling as they made their walk toward the ring. Morgenthau worked with Crafty Apes, the VFX team, to map out the final moments and by using a motion-control camera, the fight was immersive and distinctive.
With a stellar box office and reception, a “Creed-verse” may not be too far off. According to Deadline, Jordan has met with Amazon to explore other ‘Creed’ related projects. No details are confirmed but there are talks of spin-off projects such as an anime series, live-action TV series, and even a story centered on Donnie’s daughter Amara, played by deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent. A spin-off movie based on Rocky’s nemesis Ivan Drago and his son Viktor Drago has also been announced. The possibility is endless when it comes to the Creed/Rocky universe, which is quite exciting for fans of the franchise.
Where Is Rocky?
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed II.’
One thing that was mising from ‘Creed III’ was Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Although Rocky has constantly been in Donnie’s corner in each movie, this is the first film in the ‘Creed’ saga to not feature the character. They do mention his name once during the film but Rocky’s whereabouts was not clear, so what happened?
Although Stallone created the characters in the original ‘Rocky’, he sold the rights to producer Irwin Winkler and MGM in order to have the first film made, therefore he has no real say in the future of the franchise. Stallone did not agree with the direction Winkler wanted to take with the franchise, and felt it was too dark.
We don’t know whether Stallone will return to the franchise, but his absence was definitely noticeable as someone who had been a mentor for Donnie since the first ‘Creed’ film.
The film premiered in Mexico City on February 9, 2023 and released theatrically in the United States on March 3, 2023. It is the third film in the ‘Creed’ franchise and the 19th film in the ‘Rocky’ saga. ‘Creed III’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes. You can still experience the boxing action-drama in theaters. Be sure to check below for showtimes in your area.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Creed III’ below:
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Prefer to watch experience the movie from your home? You’re in luck. ‘Creed III’ is now available to rent or purchase digitally on the Amazon streaming service, Prime Video as of April 1, 2023.
Having pummeled the competition at the box office this past weekend, with a $58 million opening weekend and $110 million globally after less than a week on release, ‘Creed III’ has certainly confirmed that the sports franchise that grew from the ‘Rocky’ movies is alive, well and punching above its weight (the third movie, in fact, earned more in three days than its two predecessors did across five-day holiday launches).
So when Michael B. Jordan told Deadline last week that he’s “excited” about building a universe around boxer Adonis Creed, his family, friends and colleagues, it certainly sounds like we’re getting closer to that becoming a reality.
It’s still early days on all of this, and neither Jordan, MGM nor Amazon (which owns MGM) are officially commenting, but word is that we could see an anime series based on the ‘Creed’ movies that would allow the team to tell more stories set in his world.
And, following on from ‘Creed III’, there is also talk of a show based around Adonis and Bianca (Tessa Thompson)’s daughter Amara, as played by deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent in the movie. What exactly that might be remains to be seen –– whether it follows her now or perhaps even in her adult life.
There’s also mention of a live-action series, but again, that’s still nebulous at this point.
There hasn’t been much word of it for now, though we’re sure Amazon would want Lundgren back on screens.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed II.’
Will Sylvester Stallone be involved in the spin-offs?
Any new ‘Creed’ Development appears unlikely to feature involvement from Sylvester Stallone, who let’s not forget, is the progenitor and star of the entire ‘Rocky’ film franchise, without which there would be no ‘Creed’ in the first place.
Sly has been outspoken in his dissatisfaction with the lack of reciprocity when it comes to rights between himself and producer Irwin Winkler. The producer refused to hand the rights back to Stallone and the actor/writer has cut ties with the franchise.
And Sly’s issues extend to not even watching ‘Creed III’, in which he does not appear as Rocky. “You can’t make peace with someone who’s been so, so nefarious, in my opinion,” he told Jessica Shaw on Sirius XM.
Which means we’re unlikely to see ‘Rocky & Friends’ as one of the big new offerings from the Creed-verse. Though if the success of the latest movie has proved, Adonis Creed’s world has moved on from Rocky.
‘Creed III’ is produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Outlier Society Productions, Proximity Media, and Balboa Productions, and is scheduled for release on March 3rd.
While it is 1976’s Academy Award winning ‘Rocky‘ that is now considered the gold standard in boxing movies, there have been many great ones over the years including Martin Scorsese‘s ‘Raging Bull,’ the Oscar-winning Muhammad Ali documentary ‘When We Were Kings,’ as well as the biopic ‘Ali‘ starring Will Smith.
Not to mention the long running ‘Rocky’ franchise which has produced six ‘Rocky’ movies and three ‘Creed‘ spinoffs, including the latest, ‘Creed III,’ which is the first movie in the series to not feature Sylvester Stallone, but was directed by star Michael B. Jordan and opens in theaters on March 3rd.
In honor of ‘Creed III’s release, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best boxing movies of all time, including ‘Creed III.’
His Wife (Talia Shire) is dead and his Son (Milo Ventimiglia) hates him but this old man still has fight in him! When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) retaliates by challenging Rocky to a nationally televised, 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who’s faster, stronger, and thirty years his junior.
A pair of aging boxing rivals (Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro) are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout — 30 years after their last match.
The more you love, the harder you fight. The world looks at Billy Flynn (Jon Voight) and sees a has-been who seemingly never was, an ex-boxing champion slammed to the mat years ago by booze and gambling. But Billy’s son TJ (Ricky Schroder) sees what the world doesn’t. He knows what his flawed but loving father is, was and always will be – The Champ.
The inspirational story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller), who after a near fatal car crash, which left him not knowing if he’d ever walk again, made one of sports most incredible comebacks.
After Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian (Talia Shire) but can’t put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the “Master of Disaster” and the “Italian Stallion” are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.
Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) isn’t prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) to enter his life. But Maggie’s determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.
Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a washed-up fighter who retired from the ring when robots took over the sport. After his robot is trashed, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to rebuild and train an unlikely contender.
The true story of boxer Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) who, in the 1920s following his retirement, makes a surprise comeback in order to get him and his family out of a socially poor state.
Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight against an opponent with ties to his family’s past, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is up against the challenge of his life.
Nineteen-year-old Danny Flynn (Daniel Day-Lewis) is imprisoned for his involvement with the I.R.A. in Belfast. He leaves behind his family and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Maggie Hamill (Emily Watson). Fourteen years later, Danny is released from prison and returns to his old working class neighborhood to resume his life as a boxer.
In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay (Will Smith). Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self-confidence and his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. Yet at the top of his game, both Ali’s personal and professional lives face the ultimate test.
Now the world champion, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is living in luxury and only fighting opponents who pose no threat to him in the ring, until Clubber Lang (Mr. T) challenges him to a bout. After taking a pounding from Lang, the humbled champ turns to former bitter rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for a rematch with Lang.
After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damien Anderson (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damien – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
Boxer “Irish” Micky Ward’s (Mark Wahlberg) unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His ‘Rocky’-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky (Christian Bale), a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO’d by drugs and crime.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union.
Billy “The Great” Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal), the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, has an impressive career, a loving wife (Rachel McAdams) and daughter (Oona Laurence), and a lavish lifestyle. However, when tragedy strikes, Billy hits rock bottom, losing his family, his house and his manager. He soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker), a former fighter who trains the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to reclaim the trust of those he loves the most.
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
It’s 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the “Rumble in the Jungle” is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America’s top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
When world heavyweight boxing champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) wants to give an unknown fighter a shot at the title as a publicity stunt, his handlers choose palooka Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), an uneducated collector for a Philadelphia loan shark. Rocky teams up with trainer Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) to make the most of this once in a lifetime break.
‘Creed III‘ will open in theaters on March 3rd and is the third film in the ‘Creed’ series, the ninth movie set in the ‘Rocky’ universe, and the first film directed by actor Michael B. Jordan.
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What is ‘Creed III’ about?
‘Creed III’ follows the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II,‘ and features Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) ready to retire from professional boxing as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World. But when Donnie’s childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long prison sentence, he asks Donnie for help returning to the ring and winning the championship. But once Anderson is champion, he turns on Donnie personally and publicly, forcing Creed back into the ring to fight his former friend, facing an opponent he’s never fought before – a fighter who has nothing to lose!
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor and director Michael B. Jordan and actor Jonathan Majors about their work on ‘Creed III,’ what viewers need to know to prepare for this film, the deep relationship between Donnie and Dame, and Jordan’s work behind the camera.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Jordan, Majors, and actress Tessa Thompson.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would each of you say to viewers sitting down to watch this movie to prepare them for the film experience they are about to have?
Michael B. Jordan: I mean, just have an open mind and an open heart, and buckle up because it’s a ride. Once we get started, I’ll see you in two hours and I’ll check in on you on how you feel.
Jonathan Majors: There’s no way to prepare yourself for ‘Creed III.’ You got to come in with your dukes up. Doesn’t matter, it’s a knockout. Bob and weave, come with an open heart, and come with an open mind. These are familiar characters being looked at in a very different way. You’re going to see Adonis Creed in a very unique way that’s going to give you even more insight to the hero, primarily because of the introduction of Damian Anderson, his long lost friend. You’re in for a wild fight. Flex them up!
Michael B. Jordan directs and stars as Adonis Creed in ‘Creed III.’
MF: Michael, can you talk about your vision for this film, particularly the fight sequences, and as a director, what it was like working with your cast and crew to execute that?
MBJ: I mean, as far as the boxing sequences for me, it’s probably the part of the story that I’ve daydreamed and thought about the most over the past eight years. When you’re involved in a process and you think about boxing and fights, there’s certain things that you’re curious about wanting to try, and obviously they don’t make it to every movie. So I’ve been kind of compiling a list of things that I’ve always wanted to kind of try, and then also trying to make this one feel fresh and different.
So leaning on my love of Japanese anime and the spirit of that, and how I can make things feel different, and pitching that to my cast and my crew. Getting everybody on the same visual reference point of what kind of film we’re making, and what type of creative swings that we would be taking and just going out and just doing it. It’s like you got to go for it. So I think my love of anime definitely helped me creatively and artistically take some creative swings.
Jonathan Majors stars as Damian Anderson in ‘Creed III.’
MF: Jonathan, what was it like working with Michael, both as a scene partner and as a director?
JM: It was incredible. It was an experience as an actor, I’ve not had, and I don’t see it coming down the pipeline again. Where you have an actor that’s going to lead his own franchise as an actor and then also direct it. That’s just not something that people are driven to do. I mean, that seems quite difficult. It is difficult. I watched him deal with that difficulty with grace, elegance, confidence and conviction.
Because of that, we have the picture we have, and he gave a hell of a performance. So I got to witness it and it was a team effort, the building of Dame and the making of this film. But he was a leader throughout and he really orchestrated every day, even in the chaos, he was there and present, boots on the ground, gloves on to help us craft a story. So I can’t imagine, I don’t think anybody else could have directed the film, even if Mike was in it, and have the same outcome. I think this outcome is quite beneficial to cinema and to audiences.
MF: Finally, one of the taglines of the film is, “How do you fight a fighter with nothing to lose?” But I think it really should be, “How do you fight a fighter who knows you better than you know yourself?” Can you talk about the personal history between Dame and Donnie, and why that makes Anderson such a dangerous opponent for Creed?
MBJ: Well, I feel like the people that know you the most could hurt you the worst. So I think it’s one of those things where I really wanted to go back to Adonis’s childhood and make this an origin story of sorts, and a sequel and a trilogy all in one. And it’s also a origin story for Dame as well.
So I think to be able to go back there and go through that childhood trauma, and really understand Adonis’s first relationship, his first friendship, his first heartbreak, his first betrayal, just when he first get inspired, who taught him how to fight, who protected him, and all those things that make up the man that he is today, that we know him as. Then we pick up in present day and we have a little bit more context of who he is.
But then also you have to address your past in order to really move forward and become the best version of yourself. So we wanted to see Adonis struggle with that, and struggle to talk about his past, and struggle to talk about how he feels about certain things, and see what that does to the people that are around him, his loved ones. How does that affect them? How does that affect him? Then to see him pull it out and actually rise to the mountaintop, I thought was truly inspiring.
JM: Yeah, it’s a familiar trope, isn’t it? But it’s probably the most real and the most dangerous. When you fight someone that knows you better than you know yourself, the only way to win is to grow and to engender something new in yourself. That’s very interesting.
Dame is literally the fellow who taught Adonis how to fight, and how to throw those punches. Yes, he is from the Creed stock, he is the son of a champion, but that champion was not there to teach him how to use the tools that he was given, endowed with by birth. Dame is the one who teaches him how to exercise his birth right. So there’s a social and an emotional debt that someone has to overcome.
So it transcends this idea of, “Oh, I know you physically. I know you socially and emotionally.” So I mean, that’s why we have our picture. Dame represents that in such a strong way that it really is a David vs. Goliath story on multiple levels. Adonis has to overcome that. And in the overcoming of it, he grows.
‘Creed III’ is produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Outlier Society Productions, Proximity Media, and Balboa Productions, and is scheduled for release on March 3rd.
Opening in theaters on March 3rd is the third film in the ‘Creed’ series and the ninth movie set in the ‘Rocky’ universe entitled ‘Creed III,’ which also marks the directorial debut of Adonis “Donnie” Creed actor Michael B. Jordan.
What is ‘Creed III’ about?
Following the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II,’ Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is about to retire as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World. But when Creed’s childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he asks Donnie for help getting back into boxing, as he is determined to win the championship. Eventually, Donnie is forced back into the ring to fight his former friend, facing an opponent he’s never fought before – a fighter who has nothing to lose!
In his third outing as Adonis Creed, Michael B. Jordan gives another strong and dedicated performance but it is his work behind the camera that is truly impressive, while Jonathan Majors steals every scene he is in with his menacing and electrifying performance as Damian Anderson.
Michael B. Jordan is one of the best actors of his generation and has demonstrated this in moving independent features like ‘Fruitvale Station,’ and strong blockbusters like ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Creed.’ Returning for his third time as Adonis “Donnie” Creed, and first time without Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa (more on that later), Jordan gives a mature performance proving that the character has grown since the last we saw him.
This is an older Donnie, a successful professional athlete on the verge of retirement looking forward to spending more time with his aging mother, musician wife, and deaf daughter. But Donnie is haunted by his childhood living in an orphanage, before his father’s widow adopted him, and the dark secrets he has been hiding for most of his life. Once Damian returns, it stirs up these old feelings in Donnie, which Dame brilliantly uses to his advantage.
It seems as if Jordan is channeling some of himself into the role, as the megastar actor can relate to being financially successful, and the problems that comes with that level of success. But as Donnie, he also wants to protect his family and their future from the sins of his past. Donnie is not a lost boy anymore, as he was depicted in the first ‘Creed,’ he is now a man and a champion, and that comes shining through Jordan’s performance.
Jordan also has an extremely impressive directorial debut with ‘Creed III.’ Jordan balances the film’s tones of fighting for survival and redemption quite well, and even injects some humor into the film. Jordan clearly has learned a lot about filmmaking from his years on sets and from watching his mentor and collaborator director Ryan Coogler on ‘Fruitvale Station,’ ‘Creed’ and ‘Black Panther.’
While Jordan handles the emotions and drama of ‘Creed III’ very well, he also makes the fight scenes interesting, moving the camera around the ring with the fighters and using slow-motion sparingly but effectively. However, there is one choice Jordan made as a director that I completely disagree with and it actually took me out of the movie for a second. It’s a scene that comes towards the end of the film’s final fight sequence, so I will be careful not to give too much away. But Jordan makes a directorial choice to inject the fight with visual metaphors that hurt the reality of the fight scene itself, and for me, took the viewer completely out of the moment. I get what Jordan was going for, but I just don’t think it worked.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone as Robert “Rocky” Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis “Donnie” Creed in director Ryan Coogler’s ‘Creed.’
‘Creed III’ marks the first film in the trilogy to not also feature Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa character. The trilogy is clearly a spinoff of the ‘Rocky’ franchise, and while the character is mentioned once or twice in passing, Balboa’s whereabouts and why he is no longer in Donnie’s corner are never revealed.
Jordan and the other filmmakers do a good job of creating a ‘Rocky’ movie without Rocky, and while it is still in the vein of the previous films in the franchise, they go out of their way to make it different from the other movies in the series. The “Theme from Rocky” or “Gonna Fly Now,” as it is better known, is barely used, if at all, and has been modified so you can barely hear it in the background.
There is also a moment where you can tell the filmmakers wanted to step away from what you would expect from a ‘Rocky’ movie. In the inevitable training montage, Donnie runs to the top of a hill overlooking the Los Angeles skyline. This would seem to be the perfect moment to have the theme start playing and for Donnie to pump his fists in the air, recreating the iconic moment on the Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs from the original ‘Rocky,’ which has been duplicated in almost every ‘Rocky’ movie since. But Jordan avoids that moment, like so many other typical ‘Rocky’ moments that the film ignores, which really places the movie into its own chapter of the ‘Rocky’ story.
But honestly, the real reason Rocky does not appear in ‘Creed III’ is more complicated. While Sylvester Stallone did create the characters in the ‘Rocky’ franchise and the original screenplay, he sold the rights to producer Irwin Winkler and MGM decades ago to get the first movie made, and thus has no real say in the future of the franchise. Apparently, Stallone did not agree with the direction Winkler, Jordan and ‘Creed’ director Ryan Coogler, who is given story credit on this movie, wanted to take the future of the franchise. Whether Stallone will ever play Balboa again on the big screen is yet to be known, but the actor does not appear in ‘Creed III’ and the character is barely mentioned.
I understand the circumstance, and think it was probably best to continue the Creed story without Rocky, however, I would have liked a little more explanation as to why the character doesn’t appear, and why he is no longer in Donnie’s corner. In fact, Rocky is only really mentioned in passing as “that guy your dad fought,” and the other ‘Creed’ movies certainly established a close if not father/son relationship between Rocky and Donnie. So, it is weird that there is no character update in ‘Creed III’ regarding Rocky or why he is no longer Donnie’s trainer, and it seems that a simple line of dialogue or two could have fixed that issue.
To be accurate, Adonis begins the film with a rematch against his opponent from ‘Creed II,’ Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). But it is his old friend Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors) that is Donnie’s main opponent in ‘Creed III,’ both in the ring and out. Anderson is Donnie’s oldest friend, who has just been released from prison, something Donnie blames himself for.
At first, Damian asks Donnie for help training, as he is determined to win the championship, despite his age and lack of experience as a professional boxer. Donnie agrees, but bumps heads with Damian, who clearly has a chip on his shoulder. Donnie eventually helps Damian become champ, but it’s not enough for Dame, and he goes after Donnie and his family personally and publicly in order to convince Donnie to get back into the ring so he can show the world he is the better fighter and have payback for what happened between them in the past.
After fantastic performances in last year’s ‘Devotion’ and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ which hit theaters last week, ‘Creed III’ is poised to cement Jonathan Majors reputation as one of the finest actors working today. Majors gives an absolutely stunning and menacing performance as Damian Anderson, and at times, even out shines Jordan himself. Majors plays Damian as a brooding and calculating character, one who knows just how to push his old friend’s buttons perfectly to get the desired reaction. Damian is a real threat to Donnie, in the ring and out, but their former friendship is what keeps the dynamic fresh and interesting.
Majors is also in top physical shape for this movie, lending to his threat to Donnie, making the idea of Creed winning their fight impossible, which adds to the film’s suspense. In the world of ‘Rocky’ movies, I would put Damian Anderson right up there with Mr. T’s Clubber Lang from ‘Rocky III,’ and of course Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) from ‘Rocky IV,’ as the strongest opponents in this franchise.
Besides Majors and Jordan, the strongest performance in the movie comes from Tessa Thompson as Donnie’s wife Bianca Taylor, and the actress has really made this character her own. Even from the first ‘Creed,’ Thompson has taken the role and elevated her from the “sideline support” that Adrian (Talia Shire) gave Rocky in the original. Bianca has always had her own storyline, whether it is concentrating on her music career, or dealing with her progressive degenerative hearing disorder.
In the new film, she is a mother of a deaf child, the wife of a boxing champ, and also a successful music producer. Thompson plays the role of supporting wife well, but is at her best in scenes dealing with her family, the secrets that Donnie has been keeping from her, or her reluctance to except Damian as a friend. Thompson elevates the role, and over three films, has created a fully formed character that you can really relate to.
Phylicia Rashad also returns as Donnie’s adopted mother Mary Anne Creed, the widow of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The actress is given a little more to do this time around, as Donnie’s childhood plays into the main story with Damian. Wood Harris also reprises his role from the other ‘Creed’ movies as Tony “Little Duke” Evers Jr., who is Donnie’s trainer and the son of Apollo Creed’s trainer. Harris is fine in the role, but again, it is strange to look in Donnie’s corner and not see Rocky!
Final Thoughts
In the end, while ‘Creed III’ does exist in the ‘Rocky’ universe, it is completely its own film. This is Adonis “Donnie” Creed’s story, and a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Star Michael B. Jordan gives another strong performance as the character and also gives an impressive directorial debut, while Jonathan Majors continues to dazzle in another remarkable and transformative performance.
‘Creed III’ is produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Outlier Society Productions, Proximity Media, and Balboa Productions, and is scheduled for release on March 3rd.
In 2018, Chadwick Boseman donned the claws and took on the role of T’Challa in Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’. We first saw Boseman debut the role in 2016’s ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ where he mourns the loss of his father King T’Chaka due to a terrorist attack. The event pits him against Team Captain America as he fights alongside Ironman, War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, and Spider-man.
T’Calla would go on to appear in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, and Marvel’s animated series ‘What If’. The reactions to Black Panther’s entry into the MCU were positive, and his appearance in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ perfectly sets up the stand-alone film, directed by Ryan Coogler (‘Creed‘). The film opened in 2018 to $202 million domestically and has a critics’ score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes today.
Alongside Boseman, the ‘Black Panther’ cast includes Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letitia Wright as his sister Shuri, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger. The film would go on to win Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in Production Design, and Best Original Score.
The movie received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike, warranting a sequel and likely more appearances of the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unfortunately, Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away before the second movie was made. His untimely death sent a shock wave through the community. Bose was 43 at the time.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
The official synopsis for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is as follows:
“Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.”
Many were left to wonder, what is the story of Black Panther and Wakanda without its lead? Director Ryan Coogler revealed that initially, the story was going to focus on T’Challa and how he comes to grips with fatherhood. ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ focuses on grief and mourning, and serves as a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
Returning to the sequel to reprise their roles are Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba, Winston Duke, and Martin Freeman. The movie is joined by Tenoch Huerta (‘The Forever Purge‘) who plays the film’s antagonist, Namor. Dominique Throne (‘Judas and the Black Messiah‘) enters the franchise as Riri Williams/Ironheart, who will also appear on Marvel’s ‘Ironheart’ series for streamer Disney+.
Without Boseman in the lead, the story focuses on the citizens of Wakanda and how they protect their nation from a new threat – Atlantis and their ruler, Namor. The movie opens with a chaotic scene where Shuri is trying to recreate the heart-shaped herb. She was unable to complete the process before Queen Ramonda delivered the news of her brother’s passing. The funeral procession for T’Challa follows. The film is filled with many emotional and powerful moments such as Queen Ramonda’s speech to the United Nations, and the burning of the funeral garb with Shuri. Ultimately, Shuri takes the helm as the new Black Panther and faces off against Namor in the final act.
Where Can I Watch ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’?
There’s still a chance to see ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ in theaters! The film premiered on November 11, 2022, and has a runtime of 2 hours and 41 minutes. There is one mid-credit scene.
Additionally, you can now pick up the DVD and Blu-ray of the film in stores. For the collectors, retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Walmart have exclusive editions.
Academy Award Nominations For ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
The Ryan Coogler-directed sequel opened to $181 million during opening weekend and has grossed over $800 million worldwide. The film has a critics score of 84% and an audience score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. It has already received many awards including a Golden Globe Award (Best Supporting Actress, Angela Bassett) and two Critics Choice Awards (Best Costume Design and Best Supporting Actress).
It has received five Academy Award nominations including:
Throughout his career, Boseman has received many awards including a Golden Globe award, a Critics Choice Movie Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Emmy award, and an Oscar nomination. Aside from appearing as T’Challa aka the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you can find the star’s work below:
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ was released in theaters on November 11th, 2022 from Marvel Studios. Directed by Ryan Coogler, and written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, the film stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winstone Duke, Dominique Thorne, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tenoch Huerta, and Angela Bassett.
Watch Moviefone’s interviews with director Ryan Coogler and the cast of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ below:
