Michael B. Jordan is set to get back between the ropes this November with the release of Creed II, the follow-up to Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed Rocky spinoff, as his character Adonis Creed finds himself going head-to-head with the son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed his father Apollo in Rocky IV.
The sequel sees Steven Caple Jr. (The Land) taking over directing duties from Coogler, while Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has penned the script with Sylvester Stallone. And, in an interview with SlashFilm ahead of the season two premiere of Luke Cage, Coker has also offered some details on Creed II and its themes:
“It’s about the legacies of sons haunted by their fathers. Even though Drago is alive, his son is haunted by him because Drago is a broken man who is trying to rebuild himself through the son. Apollo Creed isn’t broken but because Apollo died, Adonis Creed is still haunted by his father’s death and how it defined him, what it is it means now to be a champion. He’s aspiring to be a champion but also at the same time trying to figure out who it is he is. Particularly with Bianca, particularly also because he’s got Rocky who at this point becomes the new Mickey.”
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training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
Creed II is set for release on November 21st, and sees Steven Caple Jr. directing a cast that includes Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Creed), Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Tessa Thompson (Bianca), Dolph Lundgren (Ivan Drago), Florian Munteanu (Vitor Drago), Phylicia Rashad (Mary Anne), Wood Harris (Tony ‘Little Duke’ Evers), Andre Ward (Danny ‘Stuntman’ Wheeler) and Russell Hornsby (Buddy Marcelle).
