News has emerged that a fourth Creed film is in development and that not only will Michael B. Jordan (The Wire, Chronicle, Black Panther) once again reprise his role as Adonis, but he'll also return to the director's chair.
Jordan made his directorial debut in 2023's Creed III, a film that grossed $275.3 million worldwide from a production budget of $75 million.
The third installment also saw franchise star and creator Sylvester Stallone not reprise his role as Rocky Balboa.
The Creed IV news comes courtesy of producer Irwin Winkler, who was in attendance at Deadline's Contenders Film event in Los Angeles this past weekend.
While speaking as a panel presenter, Winkler stated, "We are planning to do Creed IV right now. We have a really good story [and] a really good plot. We got a little delayed because of the strikes, but about a year from now we’re going into pre-production.”
He went on to add when asked whether Jordan would once again be directing, "He will be. He did such a great job — he was comfortable with the camera."
Jordan's directorial style was commended in particular for capturing the intensity and emotional implications of the boxing contests. Jordan's ability to elicit outstanding performances from his cast, particularly Jonathan Majors (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Loki), who plays Adonis Creed's childhood buddy and nemesis, Dame Anderson, was widely lauded by critics.
Overall, critics praised Jordan's ability to produce a great directorial debut, and many believe he has a bright future in front of the camera.
Some reviews, however, believed that the film was far too long and that the story was somewhat uneven around the edges. Yet even these critics praised Jordan's talent for creating cinematic action sequences.
The Creed spinoff franchise began in 2015, picking up where the Rocky Balboa films left off, and stars Jordan as Adonis Creed, the son of Rocky Balboa's greatest opponent and friend, tracking his rise in the boxing world from talented amateur to world champion, as well as the impact boxing had on his upbringing and family legacy.
Through the first three films, the franchise has grossed over $663 million worldwide with all three films costing $165 million to produce.
In addition to Jordan and Stallone, the franchise's other key stars include Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, and Phylicia Rashad.
Are you excited by the prospect of a fourth Creed film or do you think the franchise had the perfect sendoff in Creed III? Let us know in the comment section below.