'Creed 2' Release Date, Plot News: Sylvester Stallone-Directed Film to Air in 2018
A sequel to the Ryan Coogler-directed hit sports drama "Creed," a spin-off of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky," now has an official release date. It will launch in November next year, MGM revealed.
Michael B. Jordan will reprise his role as Adonis Johnson, son of the late boxing champ, Apollo Creed, who was Rocky Balboa's rival and friend. He will star alongside film veteran Sylvester Stallone, who popularized the franchise in the 1976 John Avildsen-directed hit.
Since Coogler has had his hands tied with the production of Marvel's "Black Panther," Stallone has been spearheading the project. He is expected to write and direct the sequel.
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Not much has been said about the storyline for the sequel, but Stallone has once hinted that it will revolve around the Russian boxer responsible for Apollo's death, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). In the 1985 "Rocky IV," Apollo died during a brutal match against Drago.
Many suspects that the upcoming film will feature a match between Adonis and his father's killer, Drago. Since Lundgren has reportedly been preparing himself physically for the role, many have come to believe the rumor. If not, the sequel is still expected to be a story about Adonis avenging his father's untimely death.
"Creed," which debuted in 2015, grossed $173 million worldwide with only a budget of $35 million. It was about Adonis stepping up and becoming his father's legacy. He sought Rocky and asked the retired champ to train him.
The forthcoming movie is a joint venture with Warner Bros. Pictures. It is scheduled for release on the Nov. 21, 2018.
MGM and Annapurna Pictures, as they have decided to partake in a joint venture for theatrical distribution within the U.S., will both contribute to the funding of the operations. Both studios will also maintain creative control over their individual endeavors in film.
