The Creed and Black Panther franchises took Michael B. Jordan’s career to the next level. Part of the appeal of both was Jordan’s fighting skills as both Adonis Creed and Erik Killmonger. Of course, like any film star, Jordan’s skills were courtesy of top-notch fight choreography and stunt coordinators. According to the actor, his choreography wasn’t just your standard kicks and punches, and he revealed the fun way he learned the choreography for both Ryan Coogler blockbusters.
Michael B. Jordan’s resume has definitely been leaning toward the action genre in recent years. The actor has taken pride in doing stunts and fight work in almost every blockbuster he’s been in. His fight scenes have been some of the best on film. When discussing his key to mastering fight sequences, Jordan said he approaches the techniques as he would any dance move:
It’s choreography. Like, I learned to do the cha-cha while making Creed and Creed II. I’m a visual learner. An adrenaline junkie. Once I practice the moves like a dance, they burn into my brain. That’s how I approached the fights in Black Panther.
As previously mentioned, many of Michael B. Jordan’s roles have been physically demanding, especially for the aforementioned films. Learning dance to the Creed films makes sense given how much footwork is involved in boxing. Applying those skills to his Black Panther role made even more sense given the intense and complicated fight scenes in the film. Treating fight choreography like dancing will certainly sounds like a masterful approach, and he's sure to take it into his upcoming roles.
Speaking of which, in the same Page Six interview, Michael B. Jordan also gave some insight into shooting his upcoming film Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse. He admitted to being confused during the shoot as the production shot out of order, as had to recall how hurt his character was depending on the scene. But the actor’s inner adrenaline junkie came out, as he admitted to loving the idea of taking on dangerous stunts.
As a visual learner, I understand Michael B. Jordan’s approach to fight choreography. Sometimes, the best way to learn is through someone demonstrating the act once or twice before you take it to memory. Jordan was able to translate that fun onto the big screen as seen in those films, and just ooking at the actor's fight scenes gives the impression that he's dancing through every moment.
Michael B. Jordan’s penchant for action blockbusters has definitely paid off. The actor has one of the best physiques in Hollywood, especially after claiming the Sexiest Man Alive title in 2020. Of course, Jordan’s fans will get to see this technique on display in Creed III and possibly Black Panther 2, if Killmonger makes his rumored return.
Being a visual learner will continue to be an effective tool for Michael B. Jordan as he progresses through his career. And once Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse drops on Amazon Prime Video on April 30th, viewers will get the chance to see the actor’s secret technique in action.
