Warning: SPOILERS For Creed II Ahead!
One of the ways in which Creed II expands on the four-decade Rocky saga is that it makes Rocky a grandfather. At the end of the film, Rocky visits his estranged son Robert (Rocky Jr.) and he meets his grandson Logan. It’s a heartwarming moment in its own right, but Sylvester Stallone has made it extra poignant by sharing a photo of Rocky and Logan together and comparing the tyke to Rocky’s love Adrian. Take a look:
They may not actually be related but Sly is right that Logan Balboa, played by Robbie Johns in Creed II, does look a bit like Adrian. Especially in the eyes and with the smile, the young actor looks like Talia Shire’s character from the early Rocky films, who would be his in-universe grandmother. Rocky even mentions this to Rocky Jr. in Creed II, with his son responding, “Yeah, I know.”
It is clear that the casting director did a solid job with finding a child actor who looked like he could belong to the Balboa family, even though he only appears briefly in the film. Although Logan definitely seems to favor his father and grandmother more than Rocky himself, something I think Rocky would prefer.
In addition to just being a sweet sentiment, Sylvester Stallone’s Instagram post shows how emotionally layered the end of Rocky’s story is in Creed II. At the end of the film, after waffling over calling his son and bridging the gulf that had widened between them over the years, Rocky shows up on Rocky Jr.’s doorstep. There he sees his son, once again played by Rocky Balboa and This is Us’s Milo Ventimiglia in a surprising cameo, and he meets his grandson for the first time.
This moment has weight not only because it represents that wounds are beginning to heal and gives Rocky a happy ending, but because Rocky’s son and now his grandson couldn’t have existed without Adrian. The loss of Adrian, Rocky’s great love, has hung over the modern Rocky films from Rocky Balboa onward, imbuing Rocky with a constant sense of longing and melancholy.
When Rocky met Logan, he was not only seeing his grandson, he was also seeing something of his dear, departed Adrian, telling Logan he looked like her. He then begins to tear up. It is both very sad, but also beautiful and joyous, signaling that although Adrian is gone, she lives on in this new life and Rocky can find happiness in the world without her.
It’s really the perfect ending for the character, and this ending might actually stick because Sylvester Stallone has said that he is done playing Rocky.
While, we'll see if he holds true to his word on playing Rocky, another iconic character that Sly will soon be done with is John Rambo. The actor returns to the role in Rambo V: Last Blood on September 20. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the movies headed to theaters this year.
