Michael B. Jordan's Creed movies are trying to stand on their own outside of the Rocky sequels, but Sylvester Stallone does just enough to make sure that the influences and connections will always exist between anything that Jordan does on screen and the six movies that Stallone did prior to passing the boxing gloves over to a new fighter. So, as Creed 2 continues to film, Stallone shared this shot of two original co-stars who look like they're getting ready for the spotlight one more time.
Cuff and Link were Rocky Balboa's (Sylvester Stallone) in the original Rocky movie, which hit theaters in 1976, so it's so cool to see them on Sly's Instagram. It started as a sweet and endearing joke. In an effort to charm the shy girl he's trying to date, Rocky introduces Adrian (Talia Shire) to the "exotic animals" that live in his tiny Philadelphia apartment: tiny turtles he has named Cuff and Link. Get it? Rocky basically forgets that Adrian sold him the turtles, prompting the slow boxer to go off on a riff about all the things he had to do to fix their tank up. It's cute.
Rocky has come such a long way from 1976... more than 40 years of character development in numerous sequels. He has tackled wrestlers, Russians, paper champions and Father Time (who remains undefeated). And in 2015, the saga took a sidestep into the life story of Apollo Creed and the son he didn't know, Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), as the young fighter climbed his own way through the ranks. Creed also found a role for Rocky (Stallone), and the hooks of the franchise will continue in the planned sequel, Creed 2.
Sylvester Stallone is running out of characters that he can bring back for Creed movies. Basically, everyone is gone. Paulie and Adrian are deceased. Rocky lost Mickey way back in Rocky III. Apollo dies in Rocky IV. Basically, by this point, Cuff and Link are the last connection this poor boxer has to his storied past. No wonder he just keeps punching ahead, moving forward.
Creed 2 currently is filming, with director Steven Caple Jr. (The Land) at the helm. The sequel aims to build off of the drama of Rocky IV, with Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) facing off against the son of the man who killed his father in the ring, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren, reprising his original role). Creed 2 will be in theaters on November 21. Stay up to date on all of this year's openings with our 2018 Movie Release Calendar.
