Creed

Creed is great. It’s certainly better than most people thought it could be, with intensely great performances from Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone (mounting his own comeback of sorts) and the scene-stealing Tessa Thompson, and Ryan Coogler proving himself as a more-than-competent director with his first blockbuster film. Given Rocky’s history of sequels and that Creed essentially passes the torch to Jordan’s eponymous fighter, could we see the actor return for another round?

It may be called Creed, but make no mistake: This is a Rocky movie. This next-gen legacyquel stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson Creed, the illegitimate son of Rocky’s late rival and friend Apollo Creed, who decides to follow in his dancing footsteps and become a professional boxer. He heads to Philadelphia and finds former champ Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) running his restaurant Adrian’s, then convinces him to come out of retirement and help train him for a championship match.

It’s rare for a movie trailer to give me chills. But the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens did.

The 69-year-old Sylvester Stallone reprises his Rocky Balboa for the seventh time in Creed. Alongside star Michael B. Jordan, Stallone gives a memorable supporting performance that could earn him at spot in the Oscar race.

“The way I imagine it, after the fight, he’s riding home in a cab, with the roar of the people chanting ‘Rocky!’ still in his ears. And he just drops over dead. In other words, he has achieved everything possible and he dies when he’s on top. I don’t think people want to see Rocky when he’s 80.”

Creed is not your father’s Rocky movie. The Michael B. Jordan-led boxing picture, set for a November 25 release, hails from the meanest streets of Philadelphia. Sly Stallone had to contend with his own self-doubt and his love for Adrian, but as the son of legendary boxer and Rocky Balboa’s frequent sparring partner Apollo Creed, Jordan has more street-wise concerns. This is a new Rocky, an urban Rocky, a defiantly and proudly black Rocky. The trailer played up the racially-transposed angle of the film, including shots of gang members leering at Jordan’s character as he jogs down the street in training. And of course, a fresh Rocky demands a fresh theme song.

In a few weeks the Rocky franchise will return with a bit of a new direction, centering on Adonis Johnson, the son of Rocky Balboa’s former friend and legendary boxing opponent Apollo Creed. Warner Bros. has released several new clips (compiled above) from Creed, showing off some dramatic and intimate character work, and obviously saving the best stuff (the boxing) for the theatrical release.

A new trailer for Creed has arrived, promising what very well could be the first great new Rocky film in years. Sylvester Stallone returns to reprise the iconic role of Rocky Balboa in the new film, which sees the great fighter discovering fresh talent in the son of his old opponent, the late Apollo Creed.

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Creed, the latest installment in the Rocky franchise, which sees Michael B. Jordan taking the leading role and getting into the ring. Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as Rocky Balboa (of course), this time using his years of experience to help guide the young boxer.

Hey yo, Internet, check this out, y’know? It’s like the first picture from the set of Creed, the new Rocky spinoff about the son of Rocky’s greatest rival and best friend, Apollo Creed, who decides to follow in his father’s footsteps and enter the fight game. Eventually he comes to Rocky and asks him to become his trainer; the way Mickey was a mentor and teacher to Rocky. Thus the circle is complete; the student becomes the teacher, the son becomes the father. This is some profound stuff, dudes.