Yesterday we got our first look at the first trailer for Creed III. We learned a lot more about the character played by Jonathan Majors, who will service as the film’s antagonist, and how he will fit into the story directed by Michael B. Jordan. We also saw that Creed III is going to jump forward in time by seven years.
CinemaBlend was in attendance at a press conference for the release of the Creed III trailer where Michael B. Jordan spoke about the decision to set Creed III seven years after the events of the second movie. That jumps the timeline forward a bit, but Jordan explained that he wanted the characters of Adonis and Bianca to have similar struggles to what Jordan himself is currently dealing with. The actor explained…
I think it was important to get to a pivotal point in Donny's career and Bianca's career. I think we've seen them fall in love. We've seen them come together and create life in a family together. I wanted to get to the next stage, the next crossroads for them, you know? The next level of life and experience as young adults dealing with professional careers and family, and the choices that come along with that. … It was a reflection of kind of where I was in my life, professionally, personally. I just had a lot to say around that, so I figured we'd progress things there.
Throughout Creed II, Adonis Creed is at the top of his game. He’s the champion, and while he had to battle a significant opponent named Drago, he eventually overcame it. If the movie simply picked up a couple years after those events, it would make the most sense to see Creed continuing his battle to stay on top, and it seems Michael B. Jordan just wanted to something different with the character.
While the trailer only gives us glimpses of the life that Adonis is living, we can see that he has found success and is more than just a boxer. The one time we see him in a boxing ring not fighting Jonathan Majors’ character Damian Anderson, he’s wearing a suit, not actually boxing. Clearly Adonis’ life is about more than just fighting in the ring.
Creed III will also mark the first film in the larger franchise where Sylvester Stallone's Rocky will not appear. The time jump is likely important there as well. If the movie took place earlier in the timeline, Rocky not being around might be a bigger dal for Adonis. After seven years, Creed is used to not having Rocky by his side.
While the Creed films, like the Rocky franchise before them, are ultimately boxing movies that we expect to culminate in a physical battle in the ring, they are really character dramas, so it makes sense that we want to see these characters grow and evolve over time. Creed III is certainly poised to do that. We’ll see just where this stage in life has taken Adonis Creed when the film hits theaters March 2, 2023.
