Adonis Creed will be stepping back into the ring sooner rather than later as MGM have announced that Creed III will be hitting theaters on November 23, 2022.
This latest sequel has been scripted by Keenan Coogler and Zack Baylin, based on an outline by Ryan Coogler, and as Tessa Thompson revealed last year, Creed III will be helmed by franchise star Michael B. Jordan, who will be making his feature directorial debut with the film. We've known that Michael B. Jordan might get the chance to direct Creed III for some time, as franchise producer Irwin Winkler said in 2019 that he "promised Michael B. Jordan that he’d get his chance to direct Creed III. Last year in a conversation with our Creed star Michael B. Jordan, I offered him the opportunity to not only star in, but also to direct Creed III." Thompson will be returning as Bianca, Adonis' fiancée, as will Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed, Adonis' stepmother. As far as Sylvester Stallone returning as Rocky Balboa, there's no word on whether or not he'll be back at this point. In a statement, Michael B. Jordan said:
Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right. ‘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. This franchise and in particular the themes of ‘Creed III’ are deeply personal to me. I look forward to sharing the next chapter of Adonis Creed’s story with the awesome responsibility of being its director and namesake.
Michael B. Jordan will also serve as a producer on the film, alongside Ryan Coogler. "The films of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise have always been important to me and my family," Coogler said. "It was an honor to help bring the Creed franchise to life with Sly, Michael, Tessa, Irwin, and all the creative parties involved. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see Mike in the director’s chair on the third installment. The team at Proximity and I are excited about the story Keenan and Zach have crafted and can’t wait to help bring it to life."