Michael B. Jordan will return to the “Creed” franchise as the director of a fourth installment in the series. The news was shared by franchise producer Irwin Winkler, who told an audience in Los Angeles, “We’re planning to do ‘Creed 4’ right now … we have a really good story, a good plot.” Of Jordan’s return as director, Winkler added, “He will be. He did such a great job — he was comfortable with the camera.”
Jordan directed and starred in “Creed 3,” which was released in March. “Creed 3” also starred Jonathan Majors, who has since been accused of a pattern of physical, verbal and emotional abuse. After a former girlfriend claimed the actor assaulted her in March, Rolling Stone released a report in which interviews with Majors’ former Yale classmates “suggest a pattern of alleged physical, mental and emotional abuse that dates back a decade to Majors’ time at Yale’s David Geffen School of Drama.”
Jordan first played Adonis Creed in 2015’s “Creed,” portraying the son of Rocky Balboa rival Apollo Creed. He was joined by “Rocky” veteran Sylvester Stallone for the first and second movies in the franchise.
Jordan explained to IGN that despite Stallone’s absence, his character’s presence was very much part of the third movie. He said, “I think that Sly let it be known that he wasn’t coming back for this one but I think, you know, his essence and his spirit… there’s always going to be a little bit of Rocky within Adonis.”
“But this is a Creed franchise, and we really want to build this story and this world around him moving forward. So, it’s always respect and always a s–t-ton of love for what he’s built, but we really want to push and navigate Adonis forward and the family that he created,” Jordan added. “So, hopefully, you guys will love what I’m thinking… what we’re cooking up. I think it’s going to be something special.”
Winkler made his comments at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles event.
