Will his condition align with the direction of the series?
The iconic “Rocky” franchise’s future has been uncertain, with Sylvester Stallone expressing his reluctance to participate in any upcoming Rocky projects. This includes the highly anticipated “Creed 3,” directed by Michael B. Jordan.
However, fans may still have some hope since Stallone recently stated that, under specific circumstances, he might consider appearing in a fourth “Creed” movie. In Ryan Coogler’s “Creed,” a prequel and spin-off to the “Rocky” movies, Stallone portrayed Rocky Balboa in 2015.
In the film, Stallone’s character served as Adonis Creed’s mentor, while Michael B. Jordan made his acting debut as the son of Apollo Creed. Meanwhile, Stallone was initially uneasy about returning to the Rocky world under Coogler’s direction.
The actor once revealed this in an interview with Deadline, saying, “It took him about two years to convince me. I had been very, very grateful the way last chapter of Rocky Balboa wrapped up his story in a satisfactory way for the audience. When Rocky waves goodbye, that was a goodbye to the audience, and a thank you. I just thought, ‘Finally,’ and thought it was a wonderful send-off.”
But Coogler’s determination finally gained Stallone’s trust. Even after the success of his last picture, “Fruitvale Station,” the filmmaker remained committed to the project, showing that he was not motivated by money or vanity. Stallone noticed in Coogler a similar ambition to complete a task motivated by a need to honor his ill father.
He recalled: “He goes away and does Fruitvale Station. Wins all these awards, and he’s offered multiple job opportunities, and he keeps coming back to Creed. I see this and say, this fellow here obviously is functioning on a different kind of energy. It is heartfelt, not monetary, not ego. It’s as though he has to finish a mission, which was a love letter to his father who had been very, very ill, and that stimulated the idea.”
Seeing Coogler’s passion and determination reminded Stallone of his own journey and the chances he had been given. The actor reflected, “So I finally said, ‘You know what? Someone took a chance on me once. I’m just going to throw caution to the wind and let him run with it.’”
But Stallone’s most recent admission that he does not own any rights to the Rocky series has brought to light a susceptible subject for the actor. Stallone publicly criticized producer Irwin Winkler for holding ownership of the series in an Instagram post from earlier this year, saying he wanted to reclaim at least some of his rights.
These ongoing rights issues have significantly impacted Stallone’s absence from the upcoming “Creed 3.” Despite admitting that these issues would prevent him from seeing the movie, Stallone made it clear that his concerns weren’t against Michael B. Jordan specifically.
He then left the door open for a potential fourth “Creed” film, stating, “Michael B. Jordan, nice guy, the studio’s wonderful. But it’s just the… it’s been such a real, rough emotional ride. That’s all. It really has. Now, if Michael B. Jordan, we come up with a story, I’ll do Creed 4 with him as long as the other fella’s not involved.”
Additionally, Stallone admitted that his original plans for “Creed 3” were far different from what viewers would finally see on the big screen. The actor criticized the movie’s darker turn, saying he would have preferred a more nostalgic and upbeat approach for his beloved characters.
Stallone stated in a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “That’s a regretful situation because I know what it could have been. It was taken in a direction that is quite different than I would’ve taken it. It’s a different philosophy — Irwin Winkler’s and Michael B. Jordan’s.”
“I wish them well, but I’m much more of a sentimentalist. I like my heroes getting beat up, but I just don’t want them going into that dark space. I just feel people have enough darkness.”
Due to the ownership disagreement, Stallone’s participation in “Creed 3” is still improbable, but fans may still dream of a fourth installment starring him and Jordan. His condition that the other party engaged in the ownership issue be excluded might possibly open the door for an exciting and heated “Creed” sequel if the proper narrative and circumstances come together.
Only time will tell whether this need will be satisfied and if viewers will get to see the legendary Rocky Balboa and the rising sensation Adonis Creed share the screen once more.
