Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut in Creed III is a bold step for the renowned actor, yet it could prove a huge success for the movie franchise.
Creed III will introduce the movie franchise’s third director in Michael B. Jordan, who will helm his first feature film while starring as world-renowned boxer Adonis Creed. Creed and Creed II, directed by Ryan Coogler and Steven Caple Jr. respectively, wooed critics and audiences with their captivating fight sequences and heartfelt character dynamics. With his directorial debut in Creed III, Jordan is poised to reach new heights in his career while making Adonis Creed’s story all the more better.
The Creed franchise stems from the Rocky movies of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, which starred Sylvester Stallone as the boxer Rocky Balboa. Stallone returned to the role of Balboa, who served as Adonis’ mentor in the first two Creed films, but the actor will not appear in Creed III. Tessa Thompson will star in her third Creed movie as singer and Adonis’ romantic partner Bianca. The franchise will newly introduce Jonathan Majors’ character Damian Anderson and feature Adonis and Bianca’s young daughter Amara, played by Mila Davis-Kent. Assuming Jordan’s acting talent translates well to the director’s chair, Creed III could surpass the success of the Rocky movie franchise, which failed to deliver an impressive third installment.
Creed 3’s Success Would Beat Rocky’s Record
Rocky and Rocky II are still considered top-notch films today. However, 1982’s Rocky III began to lose its spark and paved the way for even worse additions to Balboa’s story in Rocky IV and Rocky V. While Rocky III didn’t live up the franchise’s first two films, Creed III can leave a different legacy and follow the critical acclaim of its two predecessors with its ambitious choice of a director in Jordan.
Jordan’s newfound status as director presents a unique opportunity for the Creed franchise to hone its character-driven narrative. While already a compelling tale of the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s former rival, and his triumphs and struggles on the way to the pinnacle of the boxing world, the Creed movies can greatly benefit from Jordan’s understanding of Adonis as a character. Movies directed by their lead actor aren’t overly common. However, Jordan can input his experience portraying Adonis’ journey into his directorial approach, resulting in a more personal approach to Creed III than the first two movies.
Why Michael B. Jordan Directing Creed 3 Is A Risk
One could consider Jordan starting his directing career with the third installment in a highly popular franchise as a risky move. After all, he is following in the footsteps of two expert directors in Coogler and Caple Jr. In spite of Jordan’s inexperience, he has been able to learn from the aforementioned directors as a means to inspire his own approach to Creed III. Making his directorial debut in a movie as big and as important as Creed III is ambitious, but there’s no reason to believe that Jordan isn’t up to the challenge.