Michael B Jordan’s Creed III is among the most anticipated movies coming out in 2023. The movie not only sees his character Donnie Creed return for another installment but also marks his directorial debut. As we inch closer to the movie, more and more details are coming out and fans' fascination is growing steadily for the franchise. The movie also marks the first in the franchise sans its creator, actor Sylvester Stallone. In a recent interview with Empire, Jordan addressed the Rocky actor’s absence and how the franchise takes forward his legacy “in spirit.”
Set five years after the events of Creed II, the new film will see Adonis "Donnie" Creed facing off an opponent from his past as Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson, a childhood friend resurfaces after having served a lengthy prison sentence. The previously revealed images and the trailer shows that Donnie and Damian can’t run from their past anymore and would have to go toe-to-toe. Elaborating on the themes of Creed III Jordan revealed, “It’s really diving into the Creed universe and having him evolve, start his own family and go through his own trials and tribulations in life.” Stallone made a return as Rocky in the 2015 spin-off which was directed by Ryan Coogler. Given Donnie is the son of his nemesis turned friend Apollo, he agrees to train him and thus begins Donnie’s journey. Jordan explains how his character’s journey through the last two movies will shape the new movie, “It’s allowed Adonis to stand on his own two feet and use the wisdom he’s learned from Rocky in the other two films.”
Stallone is fighting a very public battle with Rocky producers not giving him his due of creating the franchise and having no control over it. Twice in the past year, he has taken to social media to display his displeasure over some upcoming projects from the Rocky universe. Though in a recent interview he also called his absence from Creed III a “regretful situation,” while noting that the upcoming feature could have been a different thing. Addressing his absence, Jordan said, “I think it’s in the spirit of Rocky, whose fingerprints will always and forever be on this franchise. The essence of him is still there. But at the same time, the Creed franchise is moving in a strong direction.”
Along with Jordan and Majors the upcoming feature also stars Tessa Thompson as Biance, Wood Harris as Tony "Little Duke" Evers, Florian Munteanu as Viktor Drago, and Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed.
Creed III will premiere on March 3, 2023, worldwide. You can check out the trailer below: