On a $50 million budget, Creed II was a commercial success, grossing $214 million worldwide, even outperforming its predecessor. Critically, while not as well-regarded as its predecessor, the sequel still saw favorable reviews, which naturally meant another sequel. In 2018, people suggested professional boxer Deontay Wilder could play the son of Clubber Lang, Rocky’s opponent from Rocky III. Michael B. Jordan announced a third entry in development in 2019, and in 2020, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Zach Baylin was hired. Later that year, it was announced that, in addition to starring, Jordan would also be making this his directorial debut. While Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Wood Harris returned, Sylvester Stallone announced in 2021 he wouldn’t return as Rocky. The movie was shot primarily in Atlanta between January and April 2022 on a budget of $75 million. After premiering in Mexico City, Creed III hit theaters in March 2023.
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Synopsis
Three years after retiring from boxing, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) runs the Delphi Boxing Academy to train future champions. When not running the gym, he’s spending time with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). One day, Creed gets a surprise from his old friend Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who recently exited jail. Damian wants Creed to give him a chance at boxing, so Creed reluctantly has him spar at the gym. However, Damian gets aggressive while sparring and is thrown out, but Damian makes it clear he wants a title shot. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Damian gets a shot at fighting the world champion Felix Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.). He wins by fighting dirty, and Adonis learns of Damian’s true intentions and agrees to end his retirement to fight. Will Adonis put Damian in his place, or will Damian retain his world championship status?
Review
While it’s not as great as the original, Creed III easily surpasses the second installment in this spin-off series. First, Jonathan Majors continues to show he’s a force to be reckoned with by giving another fantastic performance. Thankfully, it’s an excellent performance in a good movie instead of a mediocre film like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The rest of the performances are equally outstanding, with Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson doing their best work. Wood Harris also does an excellent job as Adonis’ coach Tony Evers, and Phylicia Rashad shines as Adonis’ adoptive mother. Admittedly, Sylvester Stallone is missed, but his exclusion helps make this series stand apart from the Rocky franchise. This installment firmly establishes that, while part of the Rocky series, this spin-off franchise can work on its own. Thankfully, there are enough references to past movies, so this feels like part of the same series.
With this being his first time behind the camera, Michael B. Jordan showed great promise as a director. He makes the fight scenes more dynamic and fluid with its mix of slow-motion and extreme close-ups. The best part is the fight between Adonis and Damian, where the audience disappears, and the focus is on them. There’s no music, no cheering, nothing but the deep breathing of the two boxers squaring off. It is a well-staged sequence, and it feels like the culmination of all the backstory we’re given on their relationship. The story is incredibly riveting as we explore more of Adonis’ childhood and his guilt over abandoning his old friend. My only complaint is that it does feel predictable at points, but that could be symptomatic of the franchise’s formula. Overall, Creed III is another knockout in this long-running franchise that shows a lot of potential for the future.
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