It's pretty safe to say that Creed is one of this year's biggest surprises. Who knew a movie that was part seventh installment, part spin-off, would generate this much love across the board?
Creed just gets it right. It's thrilling, it's smart, it's emotional -- it continues a key storyline from the Rocky series while setting off on a new course with an up-and-coming boxer who's just as hungry and complex as Balboa (and, as an extension, Stallone) was when the first Rocky movie hit theaters back in 1976.
That movie wound up producing another six installments, including Creed. So will the success of this latest one mean we're on the cusp of a new Creed franchise? If you ask star Michael B. Jordan, then hell yes -- he definitely wants to play Creed in more movies.
Warning: The following quote contains Creed spoilers, so you might want to read it after you've seen the movie.
"A character so rich as this, and the world he's in, I want to see what happens to him next and what he does, especially the way it ends off, it's pretty cool," Jordan told the AP. "I think with success and time and circumstances, it would be exciting to come back and work with (costars) Sly (Stallone) and Tessa (Thompson) again."
Jordan's right -- Creed definitely sets up enough to warrant another movie. The one thing they need to be careful about is not just remaking the Rocky story with a new fighter. So, sure, Creed will grow into a better boxer and become a celebrity (and maybe purchase a robot), but the key to this franchise getting out from underneath the shadow of the Rocky movies is to go a different route. Tackle these issues of celebrity and responsibility and life-threatening injuries in a different way.
One aspect of Creed that's great is Tessa Thompson's character, Bianca. She's pretty much the exact opposite of Rocky's Adrian, and her relationship with Creed -- complete with a deteriorating hearing condition and a music career on the rise -- will be instrumental in separating future Creed movies from the route the Rocky movies took. Look for any sequel to build itself around that, and from the sounds of Jordan's comments, he wants Stallone back for at least one more go-round.
What do you think?
