Creed 3 is a continuation of the Rocky franchise and focuses on Apollo Creed's (Carl Weathers) son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan). On a meta-level, the film is also following in Rocky's footsteps by having its star direct this entry (as Sylvester Stallone directed several entries in the Rocky franchise), which meant that Jordan got to add some of his own personal experiences into the film.
The first Creed 3 trailer revealed the plot of the film. The MGM film centers on Adonis Creed, who has risen high in the boxing world. When a mysterious stranger named Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) emerges from his past, Adonis has to learn to let go of the past and beat Anderson in the ring. Though it is unknown, currently, what happened between Damian and Adonis, Damian enters the movie after having spent 18 years behind bars, and it’s implied that Adonis may have had something to do with that.
In a press conference attended by Slash Film, it was reported that Jordan spoke about the Creed 3 story. “I think I was most nervous that the experience I was trying to tell, cause it was coming from, a lot of it was pulling from my own personal experience, you know, and other people that were close to me that I knew as well.” He further stated, "I was nervous about connecting with people. I was nervous. I'm in my own head. You're creating and developing things and you're working with the writer and stuff. You're like, man, is this something that people, you know, will they f*** with it?"
Jordan remained silent on what that personal experience was, but given that he equates it with importance to Creed 3, it’s likely discussing it in too much detail would be giving away spoilers. Much of the trailer focused on Adonis' personal development and trauma from his past, with Jordan's Adonis and Major's Apollo facing off. While unconfirmed, it’s possible that this factors into Jordan's comments.
Whatever that personal experience may be, it looks like Creed 3 is setting itself up to be one of the best in the franchise. Perhaps that’s because Jordan opted to go so personal with this entry - all great art reveals a deep insight into the artist. Jordan, who is making his directorial debut in this entry in the Creed saga, seemed nervous, but the previews for the film appear to be shaping up well.
In a film that promises to have the best fights in the Rocky franchise, it’s also refreshing to know that the characterization and themes have not been forgotten. In fact, the boxing scenes seem to be feeding off of the character’s history and chemistry, adding to the emotion and drama of those scenes. When Creed 3 drops, hopefully Jordan will speak out a bit more about the film and how his personal experience impacted his art.
Creed 3 hits theaters on March 3, 2023.
Source: Slash Film