The Creed films took a much-needed step into the next generation for Sylvester Stallone’s beloved Rocky franchise as it took the focus away from the Italian Stallion and onto the son of Apollo Creed, Adonis, expertly played by Michael B. Jordan. Jordan truly left his mark on the franchise as its flag bearer going forward as its leading man playing the film's titular character, but the latest installment Creed III sees Jordan also stepping behind the camera in his directorial debut.
Just ahead of the new film's release in theaters on March 3, 2023, Collider's own Steven Weintraub had the chance to sit down and talk to Jordan and discuss many aspects of the film from both sides of the lens. One topic discussed was how Jordan sees his future as a director following this film, to which the actor-director said that while no plans are set in stone yet, he does have a few ideas and there have been others with an interest in him helming another project.
Weintraub asked if Jordan was already looking towards his next project and if he was if there were any specific genres that he would want to explore, to which the actor-director replied, "Yeah, a little bit. You know, I’m playing around with a couple of genres that I like that interest me. I’m not sure which way I want to go yet, but there’s a few." Following up on this, Weintraub asked if there were already opportunities and calls coming in from people that would want him as director, and Jordan said there were and that it was extremely flattering to see so many people willing to put him behind the camera again. "Phone’s ringed a couple of times, which is shocking, but also, you know, very humbling. I guess the work is speaking for itself, so that’s pretty cool," said Jordan.
Creed III Is Hitting Hard With Critics
Early screenings of Creed III have seen critics praising the film as an emotional journey and not just a stellar showing from Jordan as well as Jonathan Majors' performances but also marks a great start to Jordan's career as a director. Collider’s Ross Bonaime gave the film an A- in his review and was one of the voices in the choir praising the film and specifically mentions how Jordan's voice brings something wholly unique to the long-running franchise, saying:
Jordan as director is updating this series for a new generation, playing with what this franchise can be, experimenting, and breaking from the norms—while also keeping the main skeleton of these films intact. Even more so than what Coogler did with this series, Jordan is a breath of fresh air for the Rocky/Creed universe, an exciting example of the potential still in this series nine films in.
Creed III releases in theaters on March 3. Check out our interview with Jordan above and look for our full conversation with him soon.