While there will be no sign of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky, Michael B. Jordan steps back into the ring as Adonis Creed in Creed III, though the actor will also direct the action this time. It's an exciting development in his career and one that could lead to even bigger projects for him down the line (we'd love to see him follow Black Panther director Ryan Coogler into the MCU).
Needless to say, we have to believe Jordan is feeling the pressure, but working with so many great filmmakers during his acting career means the Fantastic Four star is heading into the threequel feeling confident.
"I’ve been blessed to work with and learn from incredible directors over the years, like Ryan [Coogler: Creed, Fruitvale Station, Black Panther] and Steven [Caple Jr., Creed 2], who gave me a ton of guidance and mentorship heading into this process," Jordan tells Total Film (via ActioNewz.com).
"Ryan was one of the first people that really solidified directing as an aspiration for me. I remember him saying on the first Creed, 'It’s never the right time. You just gotta jump in the deep end and go for it. 'I also received a ton of mentorship from Denzel Washington. There’s not a lot of people who have directed themselves."
Jordan would go on to admit that Creed III is still "the most challenging thing I’ve done in my career, by far," but in the movie itself, Adonis will face a formidable challenger of his own in the form of Jonathan Majors' Damian Anderson.
He's played by Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors (Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania), and looks like an absolute beast in the new stills released below.
In Creed III, 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 who has nothing to lose.
Creed III is set to be released in theaters on March 3, 2023.