Creed (film)

In 1998, Adonis "Donnie" Johnson{{em dash}}the son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed via an extramarital affair{{em dash}}is serving time in a Los Angeles youth detention center when Creed's widow, Mary Anne, visits and offers to take him in.

In 2015, Adonis is in Tijuana, preparing for his fight in an amateur boxing bout hosted in a bar. Upon returning from his latest fight, Adonis resigns from the Smith Boardley Financial Group to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer. Adonis auditions at Los Angeles' elite Delphi Boxing Academy, managed by family friend Tony "Little Duke" Evers Jr., the son of Apollo's trainer Tony "Duke" Evers, but is turned down. This rejection is further emphasized as Adonis is beaten in a sparring match by heavyweight champion and #2-pound-for-pound Danny "The Stuntman" Wheeler after he publicly challenges the whole gym to prove himself, betting his 1967 Ford Mustang that no one can get a clean head shot on him. Mary Anne vehemently opposes his aspirations, remembering how her husband was killed in the ring by Ivan Drago thirty years ago.{{efn|As depicted in Rocky IV (1985).}} Undaunted, Adonis travels to Philadelphia in hopes of getting in touch with his father's old rival-turned-friend, former heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa.

Adonis meets Rocky at Rocky's Italian restaurant, Adrian's, named in honor of his deceased wife, and asks Rocky to become his trainer. Rocky is reluctant to return to boxing due to having already made a one-off comeback nine years earlier{{efn|As depicted in Rocky Balboa (2006).}}, as well as having bad prior experiences as a trainer{{efn|As depicted in Rocky V (1990).}}, but eventually agrees. Adonis asks him about the "secret third fight" between him and Apollo just after Apollo helped Rocky regain the heavyweight title,{{efn|As depicted in Rocky III (1982).}} and Rocky reveals that Apollo won. Adonis trains at the Front Street Gym, with several of Rocky's longtime friends as cornermen. He also finds a love interest in Bianca, an up-and-coming singer and songwriter in the early stages of progressive hearing loss.

Adonis, fighting under his biological mother's surname, Johnson, and the fight name "Hollywood", defeats local fighter Leo "The Lion" Sporino, which upsets the opposing corner. This leads to the opposing side leaking the news that Adonis is Creed's illegitimate son. Rocky receives a call from the handlers of World Light Heavyweight Champion "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, who is being forced into retirement by an impending prison term. He offers to make Adonis his final challenger—provided that he fights using his father's surname, Creed. Adonis is hesitant at first, wanting to forge his own legacy. However, he eventually agrees with a little convincing from Bianca.

While helping Adonis train, Rocky vomits, falls, and is rushed to the hospital. Through further testing, he is diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is unwilling to undergo chemotherapy, citing its inability to save Adrian when she had ovarian cancer. The fact that his best friend and brother-in-law Paulie Pennino has now died along with all of his other friends as well as his estrangement from his son consign him to accept his eventual death. Adonis later finds out and urges him to seek treatment, but leaves in anger after Rocky refuses and tells him he never truly believed they were a family. This causes him to lash out and get in a fight with an attendee at Bianca's concert after he compares him to his father, and is put in jail. After getting out, Adonis refuses to train for his fight with Conlan if Rocky doesn't accept treatment, which Rocky finally agrees to.

Adonis fights Conlan at Goodison Park in Conlan's hometown of Liverpool, and many parallels emerge between the ensuing bout and Apollo and Rocky's first fight{{efn|As depicted in Rocky (1976).}} forty years earlier. First, before entering the ring, Adonis receives a present from Mary Anne{{snd}}new American flag trunks similar to the ones Apollo and later Rocky wore. Additionally, to the surprise of nearly everyone, Adonis gives Conlan all he can handle. Conlan knocks Adonis down, but Adonis recovers to knock Conlan down for the first time in his career. Adonis goes the distance, but Conlan wins on a split decision. However, Adonis has won the respect of Conlan and the crowd through his efforts. As Max Kellerman puts it while calling the fight for HBO, "Ricky Conlan won the fight, Adonis Creed won the night." Conlan tells Adonis that he is the future of the light heavyweight division.

The film ends with Adonis and a frail but improving Rocky climbing the 72 steps outside the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

{{see also|List of Rocky characters}}

• Michael B. Jordan as Adonis "Donnie" Creed (born Johnson): An underdog but talented light heavyweight boxer and the son of world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
• Alex Henderson as young Adonis "Donnie" Johnson
• Sylvester Stallone as Robert "Rocky" Balboa: A two-time world heavyweight champion and Apollo's rival-turned-friend who becomes Adonis's trainer and mentor. He owns and operates an Italian restaurant in Philadelphia named after his deceased wife Adrian (played by Talia Shire in previous films).
• Tessa Thompson as Bianca Taylor: A singer-songwriter with a hearing impairment who becomes Adonis's love interest.{{cite web | title=Rocky 7's plot is as Stallonian as you'd hoped it'd be | work=usatoday.com | date=February 25, 2015 | url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/rocky-7-creed-plot-thanksgiving-stallone-michael-jordan | access-date=February 25, 2015 | archive-date=September 30, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930131733/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/rocky-7-creed-plot-thanksgiving-stallone-michael-jordan | url-status=live }}
• Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed: Apollo's widow and Adonis's stepmother, who takes in Adonis as a child following the death of Adonis's biological mother.
• Tony Bellew as "Pretty" Ricky Conlan: A highly formidable yet arrogant British boxer and the world light heavyweight champion.
• Graham McTavish as Tommy Holiday: Conlan's trainer.
• Wood Harris as Tony "Little Duke" Evers: One of Danny Wheeler's assistant trainers, the son of Apollo's, then Rocky's, trainer, Tony "Duke" Evers
• Ritchie Coster as Pete Sporino
• Brian Anthony Wilson as James

A number of figures (real-life fighters and trainers) from boxing play in the film:

• Andre Ward as Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler: A heavyweight boxer.{{cite web | title=Creed Cast | url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/480110/Creed/cast | access-date=March 4, 2017 | archive-date=March 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308203917/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/480110/Creed/cast | department=Movies & TV Dept. | work=The New York Times | date=2016 | url-status=dead }}
• Gabriel Rosado as Leo "The Lion" Sporino: A light heavyweight boxer.
• Jacob "Stitch" Duran as himself: An esteemed cutman in boxing, he previously portrayed the cutman of Mason "The Line" Dixon in Rocky Balboa.

Liev Schreiber voices an HBO 24/7 announcer, while Michael Buffer cameos as himself serving as ring announcer. Other sports media personalities who appear include ESPN's Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon, Hannah Storm, and Max Kellerman, and HBO Sports' boxing announcer Jim Lampley.

Archive footage of Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed is used throughout the film.

File:Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, and Michael B. Jordan promoting Creed at the Philadelphia Art Museum.JPG in November 2015.]]

On July 24, 2013, it was announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) had signed on with Fruitvale Station (2013) director Ryan Coogler to direct a spin-off of Rocky (1976), a seventh film in the Rocky series, which Coogler would also co-write with Aaron Covington.{{cite news|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title='Fruitvale Station' Duo Ryan Coogler And Michael B. Jordan Team With Sly Stallone On MGM 'Rocky' Spinoff 'Creed'|url=https://deadline.com/2013/07/fruitvale-station-duo-ryan-coogler-and-michael-b-jordon-team-with-sly-stallone-on-mgm-rocky-spinoff-creed-547901/|access-date=February 2, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 24, 2013|archive-date=February 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214055724/http://deadline.com/2013/07/fruitvale-station-duo-ryan-coogler-and-michael-b-jordon-team-with-sly-stallone-on-mgm-rocky-spinoff-creed-547901/|url-status=live}} Sylvester Stallone also worked on the screenplay for the seventh film.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4-tUD_MkJk|title=CREED Screenwriter Aaron Covington on developing the script & Sylvester Stallone's legacy as ROCKY|work=Jog Road Productions|date=December 7, 2015|access-date=December 15, 2015|archive-date=March 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310102140/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4-tUD_MkJk|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2014/12/31/sylvester-stallone-potentially-leaks-creed-spoiler-online|title=Sylvester Stallone potentially leaks 'Creed' spoiler online|quote=The Expendables star has been working on the screenplay for new film Creed|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=December 31, 2014|access-date=November 29, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208165951/http://www.torontosun.com/2014/12/31/sylvester-stallone-potentially-leaks-creed-spoiler-online|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/movies/sylvester-stallone-may-have-just-spoiled-the-106515717367.html|title=Sylvester Stallone May Have Just Spoiled The Ending of the New 'Rocky' Movie|quote=Stallone's apparently making edits to the script, since the tweet's accompanying text read, 'Where the screenwriting is done.'|first=Jordan|last=Zakarin|work=Yahoo! Movies|date=December 29, 2014|access-date=November 29, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208055833/https://www.yahoo.com/movies/sylvester-stallone-may-have-just-spoiled-the-106515717367.html|url-status=live}} The film would focus on a man following in the footsteps of his late father, Apollo Creed, and getting a mentor in the now-retired Rocky Balboa. Michael B. Jordan was set for the role of Creed's son, Adonis "Donnie" Creed,{{cite web | title=BREAKING NEWS re: Creed Movie – Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallones – SPOILER ALERT | work=phillychitchat.com | url=http://www.phillychitchat.com/2015/02/breaking-news-re-creed-movie-michael-b.html | access-date=February 24, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924072352/http://www.phillychitchat.com/2015/02/breaking-news-re-creed-movie-michael-b.html | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | url-status=dead }} and Stallone was set to reprise his character of Rocky. Original producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff would produce, along with Stallone and Kevin King-Templeton. On April 25, 2014, while talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Coogler stated that he had sent his latest draft to the studio, and confirmed the involvement of Jordan and Stallone.{{cite news|last1=Kemp|first1=Stuart|title=Sundance London: Ryan Coogler Talks 'Rocky' Spinoff 'Creed'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/sundance-london-ryan-coogler-talks-698869|access-date=February 2, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 25, 2014|archive-date=February 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214051440/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/sundance-london-ryan-coogler-talks-698869|url-status=live}}

In an interview with Ellen, Sylvester Stallone reasoned why he refused to write Creed. He referred to a generational gap between the time when he wrote Rocky and the time when a film such as Creed would be making its appearance on the silver screen.{{cite web |last1=Sardar |first1=Samrat |title=Sylvester Stallone Refused to Write 'Creed' Because of 4-Decade-Long Problem That Could Not Be Fixed |url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/boxing-news-sylvester-stallone-refused-to-write-creed-because-of-4-decade-long-problem-that-could-not-be-fixed/ |website=EssentiallySports |date=December 29, 2022 |access-date=December 29, 2022}}

On November 10, real-life boxers Tony Bellew and Andre Ward joined the film, with Bellew to play a fighter, "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, the main opponent for Creed. Shooting was set to begin in January 2015, in Las Vegas and Philadelphia.{{cite news|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|title=Boxers Andre Ward and Tony Bellew in Talks to Join MGM's 'Rocky' Spinoff 'Creed'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/boxers-andre-ward-tony-bellew-748018|access-date=February 2, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 10, 2014|archive-date=February 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210214747/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/boxers-andre-ward-tony-bellew-748018|url-status=live}} On December 16, Tessa Thompson was added to the cast as the female lead.{{cite news|last1=Yamato|first1=Jen|title='Dear White People's Tessa Thompson Lands 'Creed' Lead|url=https://deadline.com/2014/12/tessa-thompson-creed-sylvester-stallone-dear-white-people-selma-1201327391/|access-date=December 17, 2014|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 16, 2014|archive-date=December 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217021735/http://deadline.com/2014/12/tessa-thompson-creed-sylvester-stallone-dear-white-people-selma-1201327391/|url-status=live}} On January 8, 2015, Phylicia Rashad reportedly joined the film to play Mary Anne Creed, Apollo's widow. Sylvia Meals, who portrayed Mrs. Creed in Rocky II (1979) and Rocky IV (1985) had died in 2011.{{cite news|last1=Sneider|first1=Jeff|title=Phylicia Rashad to Play Apollo Creed's Widow in 'Rocky' Spinoff 'Creed'|url=https://www.thewrap.com/phylicia-rashad-to-play-apollo-creeds-widow-in-rocky-spinoff-creed/|access-date=February 2, 2015|publisher=thewrap.com|date=January 8, 2015|archive-date=February 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202195744/http://www.thewrap.com/phylicia-rashad-to-play-apollo-creeds-widow-in-rocky-spinoff-creed/|url-status=live}} On January 21, Graham McTavish tweeted about his involvement in the film.{{cite web|title=Graham McTavish – Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/grahammctavish/status/558009263616831488|publisher=twitter.com|access-date=February 2, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040417/https://twitter.com/grahammctavish/status/558009263616831488|url-status=live}}

Principal photography began on January 19, 2015 on location at Goodison Park, with the first scene shot taking place during a Barclays Premier League football match between Everton (of which Stallone and native Evertonian Bellew are fans) and West Bromwich Albion.{{cite news|last1=Owen|first1=Luke|title=Rocky spin-off Creed to shoot tonight at Goodison Park during Everton v West Brom game|url=http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2015/01/rocky-spin-off-creed-shoot-tonight-goodison-park-everton-v-west-brom-game.html|access-date=January 20, 2015|publisher=flickeringmyth.com|date=January 19, 2015}}{{cite news|title=Sylvester Stallone: Rocky star delivers message at Everton|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30891678|access-date=January 20, 2015|publisher=bbc.com|date=January 19, 2015|archive-date=January 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121074824/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30891678|url-status=live}} Goodison would later host both the climactic film fight between Adonis and Conlan and also Bellew's real-life title fight against Ilunga Makabu in May 2016, which was the first outdoor boxing match in Liverpool since 1949.

Filming also took place in Philadelphia.{{cite news|title=A new 'Rocky' movie is set to begin filming in Philadelphia; Extras needed|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2014/11/25/a-new-rocky-movie-is-set-to-begin-filming-in-philadelphia-extras-needed/|access-date=February 5, 2015|publisher=onlocationvacations.com|date=November 25, 2014|archive-date=February 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221153333/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2014/11/25/a-new-rocky-movie-is-set-to-begin-filming-in-philadelphia-extras-needed/|url-status=live}} In early February, an empty store in Philadelphia was converted into a boxing gym, where some training scenes were shot.{{cite news|title=The new 'Rocky' movie 'Creed' will be filming at a Boxing Gym in Philly this week|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/02/the-new-rocky-movie-creed-will-be-filming-at-a-boxing-gym-in-philly-this-week-2/|access-date=February 3, 2015|publisher=onlocationvacations.com|date=February 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702133334/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/02/the-new-rocky-movie-creed-will-be-filming-at-a-boxing-gym-in-philly-this-week-2/|archive-date=July 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Sullivan|first1=Vince|title='Rocky' crew picks Delco gym as movie location|url=http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2015/02/13/region/doc54d8c47be56ac574349421.txt|access-date=February 14, 2015|publisher=mainlinemedianews.com|date=February 13, 2015|archive-date=April 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401162647/http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2015/02/13/region/doc54d8c47be56ac574349421.txt/|url-status=live}}

On February 13, the crew was spotted filming in the Victor Cafe in South Philadelphia.{{cite news|title=The new 'Rocky' movie 'Creed' filming at The Victor Cafe in Philly|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/13/the-new-rocky-movie-creed-filming-at-the-victor-cafe-in-philly/|access-date=February 14, 2015|publisher=onlocationvacations.com|date=February 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702111431/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/13/the-new-rocky-movie-creed-filming-at-the-victor-cafe-in-philly/|archive-date=July 2, 2015|url-status=dead}} The café was transformed into the "Adrian's Restaurant", and crew were again spotted filming there on February 16.{{cite news|title=See Philadelphia's Victor Cafe transformed into Adrien's for 'Creed'|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/16/see-philadelphias-victor-cafe-transformed-into-adriens-for-creed/|access-date=February 17, 2015|publisher=onlocationvacations.com|date=February 16, 2015|archive-date=February 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217065707/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/16/see-philadelphias-victor-cafe-transformed-into-adriens-for-creed/|url-status=live}} Stallone and Jordan were also spotted on the set of the film on February 18.{{cite news|title=Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan on the Creed Set|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/411207-sylvester-stallone-and-michael-b-jordan-on-the-creed-set#/slide/9|access-date=February 19, 2015|publisher=comingsoon.net|date=February 18, 2015|archive-date=February 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219135103/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/411207-sylvester-stallone-and-michael-b-jordan-on-the-creed-set#/slide/9|url-status=live}} From February 24–27 and then on March 3, filming took place at Sun Center Studios in Aston Township.{{cite news|title=Filming for the new 'Rocky' movie 'Creed' moves to Aston, PA this week|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/24/filming-for-the-new-rocky-movie-creed-moves-to-aston-pa-this-week/|access-date=February 25, 2015|publisher=onlocationvacations.com|date=February 24, 2015|archive-date=February 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225181641/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2015/02/24/filming-for-the-new-rocky-movie-creed-moves-to-aston-pa-this-week/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Creed (soundtrack)}}

The musical score for Creed was written by Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, who is only the third composer in the history of the Rocky series, following Bill Conti (Rocky, II, III, V, and Balboa) and Vince DiCola (Rocky IV). Creed also features a soundtrack that consists mostly of music new to the series, including hip hop tracks by artists such as Future, Meek Mill, and White Dave.{{cite web|title=Future, Jhené Aiko, Meek Mill Appear on Newly Released "Creed" Soundtrack|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2015/11/20/future-jhene-aiko-meek-mill-appear-on-newly-released-creed-s.html|website=ABC News Radio|publisher=American Broadcasting Company|access-date=November 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123235440/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2015/11/20/future-jhene-aiko-meek-mill-appear-on-newly-released-creed-s.html|archive-date=November 23, 2015|date=November 20, 2015}} Both a score and a soundtrack album were released on November 20, 2015 by WaterTower Music and Atlantic Records, respectively.{{cite web|title=Creed (2015) – Song Credits|url=http://www.soundtrack.net/movie/creed/|website=Soundtrack.Net|access-date=November 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124180949/http://www.soundtrack.net/movie/creed/|archive-date=November 24, 2015}} One tribute to Conti's original soundtrack is included – the track "You're a Creed" uses both "Gonna Fly Now" and "Going the Distance".

On February 3, 2015, Warner Bros. slated the film to be released domestically on November 25, 2015.Amazon.com This date coincides with the 40th anniversary of the opening scene in the original film, where Rocky fights Spider Rico.{{cite news|title='Point Break' Moved From Summer To Christmas; 'Creed' Coming For Thanksgiving|url=https://deadline.com/2014/02/point-brea-release-date-creed-rocky-spinoff-1201365866/|access-date=February 4, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 3, 2015}}

On December 20, 2015, screeners of numerous prospective awards contenders, including Creed, were uploaded to torrent sites. The FBI has linked the case to co-CEO Andrew Kosove of Alcon Entertainment. Kosove claimed that he had "never seen this DVD".{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/24/10663146/hollywood-s-christmas-is-being-ruined-by-unprecedented-leaks|title=Hollywood's Christmas is being ruined by unprecedented leaks|first=Thomas|last=Ricker|date=December 24, 2015|access-date=August 30, 2017|archive-date=July 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712193303/https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/24/10663146/hollywood-s-christmas-is-being-ruined-by-unprecedented-leaks|url-status=live}}

Creed grossed $109.8 million in North America and $63.8 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $173.6 million, against a budget of $35 million. In North America, Creed opened on Wednesday, November 25, 2015, alongside The Good Dinosaur and Victor Frankenstein, as well as the expanding wide releases of Brooklyn, Spotlight and Trumbo.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-day-box-office-hunger-games-mockingjay-dinosaur-creed-1201635844/ |title=Katniss To Sling Arrows Into 'Creed' & 'Victor Frankenstein', As 'Good Dinosaur' Stalks Families: Thanksgiving B.O. Preview |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 23, 2015 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112162049/https://deadline.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-day-box-office-hunger-games-mockingjay-dinosaur-creed-1201635844/ |url-status=live }} The film ended up grossing $42.6 million in its first five days, including $30.1 million in its opening weekend, finishing third at the box office.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the film received "early critical raves".{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-rocky-creed-production-ryan-coogler-20151123-story.html|title=Getting the 'Rocky' spinoff 'Creed' made was a real underdog story for director Ryan Coogler|website=Los Angeles Times|date=November 24, 2015 |access-date=December 2, 2015|archive-date=December 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201181339/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-rocky-creed-production-ryan-coogler-20151123-story.html|url-status=live}} On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 95% based on 315 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Creed brings the Rocky franchise off the mat for a surprisingly effective seventh round that extends the boxer's saga in interesting new directions while staying true to its classic predecessors' roots."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/creed_2015/|title=Creed (2015)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|access-date=December 28, 2021|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114152512/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/creed_2015|url-status=live}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 42 critics.{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/creed |title=Creed Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=January 12, 2016 |archive-date=November 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119015835/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/creed |url-status=live }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it an overall positive score of 85%.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-box-office-hunger-games-mockingjay-creed-the-good-dinosaur-1201639941/|title=Katniss Rules Wednesday On Track For $78M-80M 5-Day; 'Good Dinosaur' Eyes $58M-$62M; 'Creed' Punching $39M-$42M|author=Anthony D'Alessandro|work=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=November 26, 2015|archive-date=November 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126233231/http://deadline.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-box-office-hunger-games-mockingjay-creed-the-good-dinosaur-1201639941/|url-status=live}}

A.V. Wire{{'}}s Herman Dhaliwal gave the film a very positive review, writing, "I will say the film was everything I could have ever wanted and then some. It's a film that could have gone so wrong in so many ways so easily, but the results show something that is genuine and inspired. It takes the smartest possible routes with the story it wants to tell and delivers in basically every way it needed to. Ryan Coogler cements himself as one of the best rising filmmakers working today, as he crafts an emotional, funny, compelling and uplifting film that is full of strong performances."{{cite web|last1=Dhaliwal|first1=Herman|title=A.V. Wire Film Review: 'Creed'|url=http://www.avwire.com/2015/11/13/film-review-creed/|access-date=November 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220185938/http://www.avwire.com/2015/11/13/film-review-creed/|archive-date=February 20, 2016|url-status=dead}} Andrew Barker of Variety stated that the film lives up to the expectation of its predecessors, while forging its own unique path. He also appreciated the performances of Stallone and Jordan, saying that Stallone deserved credit for taking a chance on young director Coogler, and that his trust had paid off. He concluded that the director "offered a smart, kinetic, exhilaratingly well-crafted piece of mainstream filmmaking".{{cite web|last1=Barker|first1=Andrew|title=Film Review-Creed|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/creed-review-michael-b-jordan-1201640507/|access-date=November 18, 2015|date=November 18, 2015|archive-date=September 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905102743/https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/creed-review-michael-b-jordan-1201640507/|url-status=live}} IGN reviewer John Lasser gave the film an 8.5 out of 10, saying, "Creed is a mirror of Rocky's story and we have all been watching that unfold on the big screen for decades. Coogler's film does nothing to break the mold. Rather, it shows that the mold exists for a reason. Jordan delivers a knockout performance, and Stallone does as well. In the end, we can all only hope that we'll get to see Adonis on screen for just as long as we've seen Rocky."{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/21/creed-review|title=Creed Review|author=John Lasser|publisher=IGN|date=November 20, 2015|access-date=November 26, 2015|archive-date=November 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125052842/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/21/creed-review|url-status=live}}

The screenplay was ranked the 22nd best American screenplay of the 21st century in IndieWire, with Zack Sharf writing, "Not only does the script manage to tell an authentic origin story of the young and determined Adonis Creed, but it also finds an authentic way to revive Sylvester Stallone's Rocky and make him the emotional lynchpin of Adonis' rise to champion boxer."{{Cite web|last1=Dry|first1=Jude|last2=O'Falt|first2=Chris|last3=Erbland|first3=Kate|last4=Kohn|first4=Eric|last5=Sharf|first5=Zack|last6=Marotta|first6=Jenna|last7=Thompson|first7=Anne|last8=Earl|first8=William|last9=Nordine|first9=Michael|last10=Ehrlich|first10=David|date=April 20, 2018|title=The 25 Best American Screenplays of the 21st Century, From 'Eternal Sunshine' to 'Lady Bird'|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/04/best-screenplays-scripts-american-1201952200/|access-date=February 4, 2021|website=IndieWire|language=en}}

{{Main|Creed II|Creed III}}

In January 2016, Sylvester Stallone and MGM CEO Gary Barber confirmed that a sequel to Creed was in development.{{cite news|last1=Setoodeh|first1=Ramin|title=Sylvester Stallone Says 'Creed' Sequel Could Reunite Rocky and Apollo (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/creed-sequel-sylvester-stallone-1201672298/|access-date=January 5, 2016|publisher=Variety|date=January 5, 2016|archive-date=January 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106052846/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/creed-sequel-sylvester-stallone-1201672298/|url-status=live}} That same month, Stallone posed the possibility of seeing Milo Ventimiglia appear in the sequel, reprising his role as Rocky's son Robert Balboa from Rocky Balboa. Ventimiglia previously revealed during the development of Creed that he was open to returning to the franchise, stating, "I'll tell you what, if they invited me, I'd love to be there. If they didn't, I wouldn't be offended."{{cite news|last1=Topel|first1=Fred|title=Exclusive: Milo Ventimiglia Ready for Creed Comeback|url=http://www.craveonline.com/site/545137-exclusive-milo-ventimiglia-ready-for-creed-comeback|access-date=September 28, 2017|publisher=Crave|date=August 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928152823/http://www.craveonline.com/site/545137-exclusive-milo-ventimiglia-ready-for-creed-comeback|archive-date=September 28, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Also that month, it was reported that the sequel's release was tentatively set for November 2017, although it was later pushed back to an unconfirmed date.{{cite web| title=Creed 2 Gets a Tentative November 2017 Release Date| work=comingsoon.net| date=January 11, 2016| url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/646467-creed-2-gets-a-tentative-november-2017-release-date#/slide/1| access-date=January 11, 2016| archive-date=January 13, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113211359/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/646467-creed-2-gets-a-tentative-november-2017-release-date#/slide/1| url-status=live}}{{cite web | title='Creed 2' Aims to Bring Rocky Back in 2017 | work=movieweb.com | date=January 11, 2016 | url=http://movieweb.com/creed-2-release-date-november-2017/ | access-date=January 11, 2016 | archive-date=January 12, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112224524/http://movieweb.com/creed-2-release-date-november-2017/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | title='Creed 2' Could Hit Theaters In November 2017, Might Lose Director Ryan Coogler | work=collider.com | date=January 11, 2016 | url=https://collider.com/creed-2-release-date-ryan-coogler/ | access-date=January 11, 2016 | archive-date=January 13, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113192925/http://collider.com/creed-2-release-date-ryan-coogler/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | title='Creed' Sequel Aims for November 2017 Release (EXCLUSIVE) | work=variety.com | date=January 11, 2016 | url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/creed-sequel-release-date-1201677171/|access-date=January 11, 2016}} Development was seemingly delayed by the announcement Coogler had cast Michael B. Jordan in his next film, Marvel's Black Panther, thus delaying production until both men's schedules permitted.{{cite web| title=Michael B. Jordan Joins Black Panther, Here's What We Know| work=cinemablend.com| date=May 13, 2016| url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michael-B-Jordan-Joins-Black-Panther-Here-What-We-Know-130877.html/| access-date=June 21, 2017| archive-date=June 13, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613184318/http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michael-B-Jordan-Joins-Black-Panther-Here-What-We-Know-130877.html| url-status=live}}

A confrontation between Adonis "Donnie" Creed and Ivan Drago was hinted at on Instagram.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/movies/sylvester-stallone-teasing-ivan-dragos-return-creed-2-135833267.html|title=Sylvester Stallone Teases an Ivan Drago Angle for 'Creed 2'|date=July 6, 2017 |access-date=July 7, 2017|archive-date=July 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707233857/https://www.yahoo.com/movies/sylvester-stallone-teasing-ivan-dragos-return-creed-2-135833267.html|url-status=live}} Stallone later confirmed that he had finished writing the script for the sequel, which would see Dolph Lundgren reprising his role as Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/872283-drago-confirmed-for-creed-ii-as-stallone-finishes-script#/slide/1|title=Drago Confirmed for Creed II as Stallone Finishes Script|date=July 21, 2017|access-date=April 17, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109014836/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/872283-drago-confirmed-for-creed-ii-as-stallone-finishes-script#/slide/1|url-status=live}} By October 2017, Stallone stated on his social media page that he would direct the film,{{cite news|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/the-creed-2-director-is-sylvester-stallone/|title='Creed 2' Will Return Sylvester Stallone to the Director's Chair|last=Hall|first=Jacob|publisher=/Film|date=October 9, 2017|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-date=November 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128031328/http://www.slashfilm.com/the-creed-2-director-is-sylvester-stallone|url-status=live}} however, by December of the same year, Steven Caple Jr. was announced as the director of Creed II.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/creed-2-director-steven-caple-jr-1202626542/|title=Steven Caple Jr. to Direct 'Creed 2' Starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone|last=Kroll|first=Justin|work=Variety|date=December 11, 2017|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412030538/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/creed-2-director-steven-caple-jr-1202626542/|url-status=live}} Boxer Florian Munteanu was cast as Drago's son.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/2018/01/16/creed-2-ivan-drago-son-florian-munteanu/|title=Creed 2 casts pro boxer as Ivan Drago's son|last=Romano|first=Nick|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=January 16, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2018|archive-date=January 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131051028/http://ew.com/movies/2018/01/16/creed-2-ivan-drago-son-florian-munteanu/|url-status=live}} In an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jordan confirmed that Creed II was his next project.{{Cite episode |title=Michael B. Jordan |series=Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show |first= Ellen (host) |last= DeGeneres |date= 6 February 2018 |season=15 |number=97}}

The film was released in 2018.

A sequel, Creed III, directed by Jordan in his directorial debut,{{Cite web|date=2020-12-29|title=Creed 3 Will Be Directed by Michael B. Jordan, Confirms Tessa Thompson|url=https://screenrant.com/creed-3-movie-director-michael-b-jordan-confirmed/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US}} was released on March 3, 2023.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-10|title=Michael B. Jordan Ready To Fight For New Title As Director Of 'Creed III'; MGM Dates Film For Thanksgiving 2022|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/michael-b-jordan-director-creed-3-film-mgm-1234711695/|access-date=2021-03-11|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en-US}}

Creed: Rise to Glory – Released in 2018

• List of boxing films

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