The confirmed Creed 4 may be the fourth film in the Creed series and the tenth movie in the Rocky franchise, but its story can prove that the long-running boxing franchise is far from over. Sylvester Stallone starred in and wrote the first Rocky movie, which was released in 1976. After the first Rocky movie was both a commercial and critical success, and even won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, a sequel was greenlit. Almost 50 years later, the Rocky franchise is still going strong, and Creed 4 will be the next film in the boxing series.
The Rocky series has had many ups and downs over the years, but a major high point for the franchise was when the first Creed movie was released in 2015. Creed follows Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, the son of legendary boxer Apollo Creed from the original films, who sought out the training of Rocky Balboa. Creed revived the Rocky franchise, which had previously been ended because Stallone aged out of the role. The Creed movies have been a great addition to the Rocky franchise, and the upcoming Creed 4 will prove that the series does not need to end anytime soon.
Creed 4 Should Be About Adonis Training A Successor
A Younger Boxer Could Take Over From Michael B. Jordan In Creed 4
The first Creed movie followed a young and eager Adonis Creed training with Rocky Balboa to become one of the biggest names in the heavyweight division. Creed II featured Adonis at the peak of his career, as he had managed to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Creed III then made a surprising change, as Adonis retired from boxing in the film. Eventually, he came out of retirement to fight his childhood friend Damian Anderson, but the ending of Creed III never revealed whether Adonis was going to retire once again.
Instead of fighting another opponent in
Creed 4
, Adonis could instead train someone else.
Creed 4 has been confirmed and Michael B. Jordan will once again be reprising his role of Adonis Creed. However, it is currently unclear whether Adonis will be an active boxer in Creed 4. Instead of fighting another opponent in Creed 4, Adonis could instead train someone else. The ending of Creed III teased that Adonis’ daughter, Amara, would become a boxer, but she may still be too young to center the entire movie around. Therefore, Creed 4 could also focus on a boxer who trains with Adonis at his gym.
Adonis Having A Successor Would Set Up Sequels About A New Character
Creed 4 Could Begin A New Era In The Rocky Franchise
Creed III committed to the idea that Adonis was a boxer at the end of his career, so it would not be very believable if he decided to come out of retirement once again in Creed 4. Even though Jordan is still quite young in real life, his character is clearly looking for ways to move beyond just being a fighter. Creed III already proved that Adonis is a skilled promoter, just like his father before him. However, Apollo Creed was also a coach for Balboa in Rocky III. Therefore, Creed 4 could similarly showcase that Adonis would be a great coach for another boxer.
Related
Adonis’ Career Means Creed 4 Will Run Into The Same Problem That Most Rocky Sequels Faced
Creed IV runs the risk of following a similar problematic narrative path as the Rocky franchise, and it’s related to Creed’s role in the boxing world.
Since Creed III established that Adonis is beyond his prime, it’s unlikely that the Creed franchise can make many more movies with Jordan in the leading role without ignoring certain aspects of the third film. This means that Creed 4 is the perfect movie to showcase Adonis training a younger boxer. Whoever this boxer is could take the reins of the franchise from Michael B. Jordan, just like how he did with Sylvester Stallone.
Rocky’s Themes Of Legacy Makes It Perfect To Receive New Sequels
Adonis Has Always Cared About His Legacy
As seen through Rocky Balboa, Apollo Creed, and now Adonis Creed, a boxer’s legacy is very important to them. Legacy became an even more important theme after the first Creed film, as Adonis has always been a character who tries to live up to the accomplishments of his father. This is something he really struggled with in the first three movies, but by the end of Creed III, there is no doubt that Adonis is as talented as his father was.
|
Every Rocky/Creed Movie |
RT Critics Score |
|---|---|
|
Rocky (1976) |
93% |
|
Rocky II (1979) |
70% |
|
Rocky III (1982) |
65% |
|
Rocky IV (1985) |
39% |
|
Rocky V (1990) |
32% |
|
Rocky Balboa (2006) |
78% |
|
Creed (2015) |
95% |
|
Creed II (2018) |
83% |
|
Creed III (2023) |
89% |
Adonis started the Creed series as a young and oftentimes very immature boxer, but he is now a wiser person. Since getting married and having a daughter, Adonis has realized that he has to make smarter decisions. Most of his mentors, such as Mary Anne and Rocky, are gone now, so Creed 4 presents the perfect opportunity for Adonis to take on a mentorship role and teach someone else all the valuable lessons that they taught him.
Creed
The Creed franchise, a continuation of the Rocky series, centers on Adonis Creed, son of Apollo Creed, as he rises in the boxing world under the mentorship of Rocky Balboa. The series explores Adonis’s personal growth, relationships, and rivalries. Creed (2015), Creed II (2018), and Creed III (2023) combine intense boxing drama with character-driven storytelling, with Michael B. Jordan leading as both star and director of the latest installment. The series is praised for bringing new energy to the Rocky legacy, with further sequels and spin-offs under consideration.
- Created by
- Ryan Coogler
- Character(s)
- Adonis Creed , Rocky Balboa , Bianca Taylor , Mary Anne Creed , Ivan Drago (Creed) , Damian Anderson , “Pretty” Ricky Conlan , Viktor Drago (Creed)
