The first time I really took notice of Michael B. Jordan was the back-to-back combination of “Chronicle” and his work on “Parenthood.” What was immediately apparent was that Jordan was a remarkably poised young man, someone with an intensity that felt like it was grounded in a profound decency.
Working with Ryan Coogler, Jordan garnered a fair amount of justifiable attention and praise for “Fruitvale Station,” an angry and heartfelt look at just one of the many murders committed against unarmed young black men by police officers in this country, a film that now feels vaguely ahead of its time, sadly. The two of them got a big bump out of that movie, as often happens.
And as they got that big bump and made the jump from indie to studio, it could have easily ended up being a superhero film or a science-fiction movie, but it ended up being something where the emphasis is still on character, first and foremost, and I have to admit… I'm really looking forward to seeing “Creed,” the latest film in the ongoing saga of Rocky Balboa.
Also, am I crazy, or is Sylvester Stallone finally playing the Mickey role? That seems like a fiendishly clever way to keep the formula in place but without being ridiculous.
“Creed” is set for a November 25, 2015 release.