Round three is coming...
Want to be the most annoying guy in the pub when the 'Best Rocky Film' debate comes up?
Easy. Say that it's actually
Creed, sit back and allow your mates to verbally punch themselves out.
Now, I'm not saying that such an argument is a guaranteed checkmate, but let's be fair; the first appearance of Adonis Creed wasn't just better than it had any right to be, it was legitimately one of the best sport films made in a long time and clearly superior to many a Balboa adventure.
Chalk a lot of that down to having a good story and perfect personnel in the form of writer/director Ryan Coogler, co-writer Aaron Covington and stars Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson and, of course, a returning Sylvester Stallone, who was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar if you ask us.
Creed II followed, adding Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago to the mix, and while new director Steven Caple Jr. didn't manage to land as many impressive cinematic blows as Coogler, it's still a recommend.
Creed II was also a bigger hit at the worldwide box office, taking in $214 million in contrast to the original's $174 million. All of which is to say, a third outing was all but inevitable.
Details on a third Creed have been scarce, save for Stallone indicating that he's done with this spin-off series in order to concentrate on
Rocky turning up in a brand new one. That would leave Adonis out on his own, which is probably the right call.
As for who will move him forward from a script point of view? Step forward Zach Baylin, writer on the forthcoming Will Smith-as-father-of-Venus-and-Serena Williams biopic King Richard.
The Hollywood Reporter
notes that Baylin is officially on board for the currently untitled third Creed film, with Michael B. Jordan expected to reprise the title role. A director, however, has yet to confirmed.
In less happy news, it could take a while for this thing to get going, production-wise, thanks to Jordan's busy upcoming schedule.
As of now, the actor has at least three other projects on the horizon, with only one of those - action thriller Without Remorse, written by Taylor Sheridan of Sicario, Hell or High Water and Wind River fame - set for release in 2020.
