If you’ve watched live television recently, you’ve probably seen those ads for Creed III that, instead of showing a trailer, tell you to watch the trailer online. Why not just …. show the trailer for Creed III? This is a question for another day and another blog. Creed III, the third (that’s what III means) film in the Creed franchise that started with Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film Creed and the ninth film in the Rocky Cinematic Universe is looming, with a release expected early next year.
If you’re one of those people who want to be entirely up to date on everything Creed III so you have something to talk about in moments of awkward silence, or in the high chance that someone questions your knowledge on Creed III, you’ve come to the right place. From its release date to the director to the cast to the plot, here is everything you should know about Creed III before it hits theaters in 2023.
Release Date
The film’s scheduled release date as of right now is March 3, 2023. The film was originally scheduled to come out Thanksgiving weekend 2022, but the date was pushed back by Warner Brothers in July. Things get moved around a lot these days for various reasons, so it could change again, but for now, expect to see it in theaters exclusively in March 2023.
Cast
Michael B. Jordan is reprising his role as Adonis “Donnie” Creed. Tessa Thompson returns as his girlfriend, Bianca. Jonathan Majors of Loki, Lovecraft Country, and being absolutely shredded will appear in the film Donnie’s nemesis in the ring. Unfortunately, Sylvester Stallone is not returning as Rock Balboa. Stallone’s performance in the original film earned him an Oscar nomination for best-supporting actor.
“I think, first of all, Jonathan Majors is incredible,” Jordan said at an October 17 press conference, via Vulture. “Very, very blessed and lucky to have him be a part of this story … The world is finding out daily how incredible this man is in the work that he does, [and he] is finally getting the props that’s due.”
Director
Creed III will mark actor Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. Ryan Coogler, who directed 2015’s Creed, got a little busy with directing Black Panther and its sequel Wakanda Forever to continue with the franchise, and Creed II director Steven Caple, Jr. is a little busy directing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, expected in 2023. The news that Jordan would direct himself in Creed III was announced in 2021. The film was shot earlier this year.
“Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right,” Jordan said in a 2021 statement, per Variety. “Creed III is that moment — a time in my life where I’ve grown more sure of who I am, holding agency in my own story, maturing personally, growing professionally, and learning from the Greats like Ryan Coogler, most recently Denzel Washington, and other top tier directors I respect. All of which sets the table for this moment,” he continued.
Plot
Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
Five years after Creed II, after dominating the boxing world, Adonis “Donnie” Creed has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian “Dame” Anderson, 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, Donnie must put his future on the line to battle Dame – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
So, basically, the plot is Michael B. Jordan fighting Jonathan Majors. No disrespect to Jordan, but it looks like Majors is going to win this one.
Trailer
Yes, the trailer dropped in mid-October, and you can watch it below.
You can also check out an exclusive look at the making of Creed III, courtesy of Michael B. Jordan himself. Creed III is also the first sports movie to be filmed on IMAX cameras.
‘Creed III’ premieres in theaters on March 3, 2023.
