The release of Creed III is just around the corner, with Michael B. Jordan not only starring in the third installment of the Rocky spin-off saga but also directing, marking this his directorial debut. And it seems the actor took inspiration from an unexpected place for this new adventure of Adonis Creed.
In a recent interview during his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jordan revealed some of the fresh and unconventional influences for the film:
“It was a gift and a curse. There've been eight other movies before me, and we've shot – you can shoot a boxing match in so many different ways. I think 'cause I was kinda put in a corner, it forced me to be more creative and really think outside the box of how to make the fights different… and I had a huge Japanese anime influence on a lot of my fighters. It's tough. You got a mouthpiece in sometimes, you got gloves. You're always depending on so many people. Your team is everything. So, to be able to be in the middle of a boxing scene, honestly, it's sometimes easier because I can direct while I'm acting. If I need to move you upstage a little bit, I just move a little bit like this, and then I get the shot that I need.”
What’s Creed III About?
In 2015, Sylvester Stallone revitalized the Rocky franchise by telling a new story centered on Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis, who was put on the path to world championship glory. The film was followed up with a sequel, Creed II, that saw Michael B. Jordan’s character face down Ivan Drago’s son, referencing the infamous clash between Drago and his father. Now, the trilogy closes with the past catching up with Adonis.
After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian, resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring.
The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter with nothing to lose.
Joining Jordan are Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony "Bomber" Bellew, and Florian Munteanu. Unfortunately, the one who's not returning is Sylvester Stallone, so we won’t be seeing Rocky on this one. Creed III arrives in theaters on Mar. 3.