The overwhelming reaction to the Creed III trailer prompted a grateful message from first-time director Michael B. Jordan. Outside of the internet thirsting over Jordan and Jonathan Majors’ massive physiques, viewers got their first glimpse of boxing champion Canelo Alvarez in his film debut. Including the Mexican boxer in the sequel was an intentional move by the Creed III star as the film will feature Mexico as a backdrop. But it goes beyond just featuring Alvarez and the country as the first-time director revealed why he thought it was important to include Mexican boxing in the second sequel.
Jordan wanted to touch on the sport’s forgotten Mexican history. So filming in Mexico and including Latin talents like the Mexican boxer and Orange is the New Black’s Selenis Leyva allowed the film to acknowledge its roots. /Film reported the Creed III director explained at the film’s press conference why incorporating the Spanish-speaking country was important to honor boxing’s full scope.
We just looked back, you know, it’s the history of boxing, and the Mexican culture is such a pillar within the sport of boxing and felt like there wasn’t really a lot of representation throughout the films in that type of way. And it just didn’t seem like the reality I lived in. So I wanted to incorporate Mexican culture into this film. I just felt that there was a lack there, that didn’t seem truthful and honest to the sport of boxing. And I wanted to kind of put that character there.
Jordan just wanted to pay homage to the sport’s Latin American roots. He wanted to rectify the lack of a Mexican presence throughout the boxing franchise, going back to the Rocky films. The Black Panther star’s decision made sense given the World Boxing Council started up there and some of the biggest boxers originated from the country. He wanted Mexico to finally get its shine, like Aztec culture’s inclusion into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The rising director felt the boxing franchise wasn’t being “truthful and honest” about the sport’s history. While it might not have been the Rocky series’ intention, they erased a major part of the sport’s roots with no Latin representation involved. That’s why he includes Alvarez and the Latin American country in the second sequel’s plot.
Taking Adonis Creed’s boxing career from the U.S. to Mexico doesn’t mean he’ll only be fighting Mexican boxers as Donnie will face off against his childhood friend-turned-rival Damian Anderson. While filming the sequel, Jordan wore multiple hats as producer, director, and star. Majors, Alvarez, and Leyva join him, along with returning co-stars Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson. Viewers will have to wait until the film hits cinemas on March 3, 2023, following its pushback from November 23.
In the meantime, you can stream Creed and Creed II through an Amazon Prime Video subscription before the sequel drops. Check out our 2022 movie schedule to see what upcoming movies have yet to arrive.
