The next chapter of the Rocky mythology unfolds in a few months with Creed 2, and the sequel will establish even closer ties to those original movies than its predecessor did. Adonis Creed is stepping back into the ring to face off against Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed Apollo Creed, Adonis' father, in 1985's Rocky IV. Understandably Adonis doesn't have warm feelings towards the Drago clan, but Michael B. Jordan has made it perfectly clear that Creed 2 won't solely be about Adonis wanting revenge. As the actor explained:
Viktor's storyline is very layered. The two guys are similar in a lot of ways... Adonis feels, naturally, a certain animosity towards Viktor and Ivan, and then there are other themes in there: the maturity of growth, the importance of family, of legacy, is what makes Creed so special. It's not just about revenge. It's about a lot of things... If we get that lesson across, then I think we've made a pretty special movie.
Just like the Rocky movies, the Creed spinoffs are centered on boxing, so when Adonis Creed steps in the ring to duke it out with Viktor Creed, he's aiming to emerge the victor. His opponent being related to his father's killer provides even more incentive to win, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Adonis also threw a punch at Ivan. That being said, Michael B. Jordan told The Toronto Sun that there's more to the sequel than the main protagonist wanting to retaliate against the family that emotionally hurt him. If Creed 2 was solely about revenge, that would only take the story so far, but by balancing the revenge aspect with the other mentioned themes, then this stands a better chance of being that "special movie" Jordan wants the audience to appreciate.
One of the reasons Creed was so popular in 2015 was because although it had ties to the original Rocky movies, it could still be enjoyed on its own for the people who hadn't checked out the Sylvester Stallone movies. Creed 2 is taking a bigger risk by serving as an indirect sequel to Rocky IV, so it's wise that the creative team didn't put all its cards on revenge. Although let's not kid ourselves, Creed v. Drago: The Next Generation is going to draw a lot of people to see this movie. In any case, Creed 2 will also pick up on the elements Creed left behind and see Adonis trying to balance his career and personal obligations, and once his feud with the Dragos is finished, he'll emerge a better person.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., Creed 2 boxes its way into theaters on November 21, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. Don't forget to also look through our 2018 release schedule to find out what movies are coming out in the remainder of the year.
