After scoring a TKO with audiences for his directorial debut on Creed III, Michael B. Jordan could get back into the ring to develop a Creed-Verse with Amazon. According to Deadline, Jordan is dancing around a universe-spanning deal for Creed-related film and television projects. While there have been multiple meetings and attempts to build a Rocky universe, the latest dealings could yield hard-hitting results for the franchise’s future. The seriousness of the deal is the result of Creed III‘s success, which has earned $110M+ worldwide at the time of this posting.
Details about the deal remain shrouded in mystery, though Deadline says an anime series connected to the Rocky IP is possible in addition to a live-action spinoff series. The idea of building a project around Adonis Creed’s daughter, Amara, is also being discussed. The anime project sounds likely, as Jordan is an out-and-proud anime fan. Fans of Creed III already say Jordan’s directing style is reminiscent of popular anime classics, with numerous shots harkening back to the work of Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai, and Hideaki Anno, among others.
In July, rumors began swirling about a Drago spinoff, though the state of the project remains uncertain. According to Deadline, Robert Lawton is writing the spinoff for MGM. The spinoff would revolve around Rocky Balboa’s foe, Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), and his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), who was introduced in Creed II. Although MGM would prefer a feature film project, Drago could become a television series. MGM commissioned a script, but that’s as far as it’s gotten.
If Jorand lands the deal to establish a Creed universe, Amazon could have one of the most anticipated expansions added to their Prime Video streaming service. Inspiring boxing stories tend to hit hard with audiences of all ages, and there’s talk of exploring Rocky Balboa’s origins too. How or if Sylvester Stallone will be a part of the deal remains to be seen, though I hope he’ll get a piece of the pie.
Are you excited by the idea of a Creed-Verse? Do you think Jordan has what it takes to lead the Rocky IP into a bold, new future? Let us know in the comments.