Sylvester Stallone takes on the role of Rocky Balboa for the eighth time this month, reuniting with his Creed’s Michael B. Jordan for the hotly-anticipated sequel Creed II. And, during an interview with the Toronto Sun, Sly has been reflecting on reprising the part of the Italian Stallion some 42 years after his first outing, as well as passing on the Rocky franchise torch to his young co-star
“The irony is, as my life evolves, I find new things in the Rocky character,” said Stallone. “In the last one, he faced death and his own mortality. In this one, he’s finally completely alone. The only thing he has left is this young man. So he’s now part of the Creed universe. The Rocky universe is gone. It’s left in the graveyard.”
Stallone also explained why he decided to vacate the director’s chair, handing over the reins to Steven Caple Jr.: “I was going to direct it, but I realized youth must be served. [Steven] has such great vision and energy. Making this kind of film is incredibly taxing because you’re doing [the directing] and the drama. You’re doing two things. It’s at least six months shooting, maybe a year of prep, so when it’s finished, Steven will have been on this movie for two years straight.”
SEE ALSO: Adonis, Rocky and the Dragos featured in new Creed II images
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and 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 in the US and on November 30th in the UK and sees Steven Caple Jr. directing a cast that includes Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Creed), Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa), Tessa Thompson (Bianca), Dolph Lundgren (Ivan Drago), Florian Munteanu (Viktor Drago), Phylicia Rashad (Mary Anne), Wood Harris (Tony ‘Little Duke’ Evers), Andre Ward (Danny ‘Stuntman’ Wheeler), Brigitte Nielsen (Ludmila Drago), Milo Ventimiglia (Rocky Balboa Jr.) and Russell Hornsby (Buddy Marcelle).
