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  • Michael B. Jordan Pushing Ahead with ‘Creed’ Spin-Offs

    Director Michael B. Jordan and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau on the set of their film 'Creed III,' A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film.
    (L to R) Director Michael B. Jordan and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau on the set of their film ‘Creed III,’ A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Photo credit: Eli Ade. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved. Creed is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    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.

    Deadline offers an update that several ideas are being discussed.

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    What could ‘Creed’ spin-offs look like?

    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.

    Dolph Lundgren stars as Ivan Drago and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in 'Creed II,'
    (L to R) Dolph Lundgren stars as Ivan Drago and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in ‘Creed II,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures film.
    Photo: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures.
    © 2018 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
    All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: Director Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors Talk Sequel ‘Creed III’

    What about the ‘Drago’ spin-off?

    First touted last July, the spin-off movie focused on Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago and his son Viktor Drago (played by Florian Munteanu in 2018’s ‘Creed II’ and who popped up briefly in ‘Creed III’) appears to still be in development, with Robert Lawton writing the script.

    There hasn’t been much word of it for now, though we’re sure Amazon would want Lundgren back on screens.

    Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in 'Creed II.'
    (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.

    Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Creed in 'Creed III,' A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film.
    Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Creed in ‘Creed III,’ A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Photo credit: Eli Ade. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved Creed is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Creed IV:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Creed III’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Creed’ Movies On Amazon

    ‘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.

  • ‘Creed’ Spin-Off ‘Drago’ Moves Ahead

    Dolph Lundgren stars as Ivan Drago and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in 'Creed II,'
    (L to R) Dolph Lundgren stars as Ivan Drago and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in ‘Creed II,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures film.
    Photo: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures.
    © 2018 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
    All Rights Reserved.

    This is less breaking news and more “I must break you” news.

    Given how successful the two ‘Creed’ movies – which continue the story of the ‘Rocky’ films while focusing on Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of Apollo Creed, as so memorably played by Carl Weathers in the 1970s and ‘80s – it’s not surprising that studio MGM might be considering spin-offs.

    Word arrives today that just such an idea, a movie based around Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago, is moving to the script stage.

    Drago, of course, was the hulking Russian antagonist in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV,’ (who kills Apollo Creed, the fiend). Continuing the family theme, his son Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) was the threat to Adonis in 2018’s ‘Creed II’.

    Lundgren himself acted as hype man for a Drago movie back in November last year when talking to The Hollywood Reporter. After admitting his disappointment that a fan-pleasing fight with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa hit the cutting room floor from ‘Creed II’, he teased seeing more of Drago: “I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM. So you may get more of that.”

    According to The Wrap, Robert Lawton is now on board to write the script for the new movie. He reportedly impressed executives with his spec screenplay ‘Becoming Rocky’ which chronicled the behind-the-scenes efforts to make the 1976 original.

    Michael B. Jordan and Florian Munteanu in 2018's 'Creed II.'
    (L to R) Michael B. Jordan and Florian Munteanu in 2018’s ‘Creed II.’

    And he had an idea for a Drago-centric movie that excited MGM’s team enough to score him the job. No details have emerged about what that story might be, but there is plenty of scope for more of Drago and potentially Viktor’s story to be told.

    Now we wait to see whether the bell rings on this one and if a director steps aboard to guide it out of the development dressing room.

    There is related, and not so good news about the next iteration of the main ‘Creed’ franchise, though chances are it’s more to give the movie time to be finished.

    Star Jordan – who once again leads the cast as Adonis – stepped up to direct this latest movie, but while it was targeting a November 23rd release date until recently, it is now on the move to March 3rd next year.

    And that’s not exactly a prime position to be in, since it puts ‘Creed III’ in the ring with Paramount’s big fantasy adventure ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, which had a warm reception (for its trailer, at least) at last weekend’s Comic-Con.

    And this ‘Creed’ will be without possibly its heaviest hitter besides Jordan, as this is the first in the new series not to include Stallone.

    Still, ‘Creed III’ still boasts Tessa Thompson reprising her role as Donnie’s girlfriend Bianca and Phylicia Rashad is returning as his stepmother Mary Anne in its corner.

    Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren in 1985's 'Rocky IV.'
    (L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV.’
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