There is no denying that Rocky Balboa has solidified himself as a sports movie icon - perhaps the sports movie icon. The character has influenced generations, and with the Creed films, the franchise has expanded its base and adapted to a modern audience.
Surprisingly, even with so much involvement in the first two installments, Stallone is not holding out hope for an appearance in Creed III.
On a recent Instagram live session, Stallone was asked about his future involvement with the franchise, specifically if we've already seen the last of his iconic character. "Well, I believe in the film [Creed II], that's possible, yes. But I never say no to [to a Rocky sequel], because I have a couple of ideas."
Stallone recently pitched the idea of another Rocky sequel, one that does not involve Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed, and would instead introduce another young protagonist in a relevant southern border narrative.
While that idea has not officially gotten off the ground yet, Creed III is already in development, with King Richard's Zack Baylin on board as writer. At this early stage of development, there is still a chance that the film will be altered to include Balboa in some capacity, but as of now, it does not seem likely.