Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan has stepped back into the ring and behind the camera for next March's Creed III, but he won't be joined by Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa this time around. The legendary actor appeared in the first two movies, and even earned an Oscar nomination for his work in Creed; with that in mind, it's fair to say he'll be missed.
It was back in July that Stallone made headlines when he took aim at franchise producer Irwin Winkler, and his son David, for not giving him the rights to the character he created. As a result, it appears the legendary actor's time as the iconic boxer has reached a disappointingly definitive end, both in this franchise any other upcoming projects being developed.
During a recent interview with Total Film, Jordan weighed in on Stallone and Rocky's respective absences, explaining how the movie deals with the boxer no longer being part of Adonis "Donnie" Creed's life.
"We wouldn’t have Donnie without Rocky, and he will always be a pillar in Donnie’s life," the actor and director explains, "but Creed III is really the dawn of a new era for the franchise and the character."
"It was really important from a storytelling perspective to get to a pivotal point in Donnie’s career a few years down the line where he has really established himself with his professional career and his family."
While it's a shame Rocky won't appear, he's only ever been a supporting player in the Creed movies, and we really can't complain about Adonis getting more screentime. Regardless, seeing him emerge from the shadow cast by the iconic character will be welcomed, especially as he's in for the fight of his life against Jonathan Majors' Damian Anderson.
Recently, some new stills of the two opponents were revealed, and you can check those out here.
Creed III is set to be released in theaters on March 3, 2023.