The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 45 wins & 65 nominations total
- Leo 'The Lion' Sporino
- (as Gabriel Rosado)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJust as the film was entering pre-production, Sylvester Stallone's oldest son Sage Stallone died of a heart attack. Stallone has admitted that the loss almost sent him into a full breakdown, but Ryan Coogler was eventually able to convince him to use the film as a dedication to Sage, focusing specifically on the father-son relationships that appear in it. Although initially resistant, Stallone said at the Golden Globes that Creed helped him cope with Sage's death.
- GoofsAfter leaving the dressing room to enter the arena at Goodison Park, Merseyside, England, an American exit sign with red text can be seen above the door. UK exit signs are green with a pictorial of a man and a door. This was clearly not shot it the UK.
- Quotes
Rocky Balboa: [Creed takes cell phone photo of boxing drills and walks off] Hey don't you want this?
Adonis Johnson: [Holds out cell phone] It's on this.
Rocky Balboa: What if you lose it?
Adonis Johnson: It's already in the cloud.
Rocky Balboa: [Looks in sky confused] What cloud?
- Crazy creditsOnly movie in the Rocky series which Stallone didn't get top-billing.
- Alternate versionsSPOILER: In the final theatrical release of the film, Adonis Creed loses the fight to Pretty Ricky Conlan by split decision, mirroring the end of the original Rocky. However, another ending was filmed in which Creed wins the fight.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Football Focus: Episode #15.25 (2015)
- SoundtracksEl Padre Armando
Written by Xocoyotzin Herrera
Performed by Macias & Macias
Courtesy of LMS Records
Under license from Latin Music Specialists
Co-written by director Ryan Coogler, there's no doubt that Creed is a passionate love letter to the first film, which in itself is a poetic love story about fighting the good fight. Although boxing is the central theme, and often frowned upon as a brutal blood-sport that causes serious injuries, it's never been about the fight but more about what you are fighting for. Coogler gets this spot-on when we are introduced to teenager Adonis Johnson in juvenile detention. We soon learn that Adonis is the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed, born shortly after the latter's death in Rocky IV. Appolo's widow Mary Ann (Phylicia Rashad) rescues young Adonis from what is certain to be a life on the streets and raises him as her own in the plush Creed estate in Los Angeles. Cut to present day and Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) is a corporate executive half way up the ladder. It's a stark contrast to Stallone's blue collar stiff in the first film, but this is where both films converge. Like Rocky, Adonis (calling himself Donnie) knows he is destined for something else, so heads to Philadelphia to meet his late father's rival turned best friend.
The meeting with Rocky is one of several great moments in the film while also serving as a nostalgic homecoming occasion for every fan of the franchise. It's a fascinating intersection of the past but none better than the fact that in many ways, Creed is an inverted mirror image of Rocky. And before sending this film off on its own pulsating trajectory, Coogler reveals a full hand of spades. One of which is the legacy Rocky bestows on Donnie, and in essence, Stallone handing over the franchise baton to Jordan. We may not realize this at first and that's because we are already smitten by the father-son relationship developing between Donnie and Rocky. Their character study is the most significant aspect of this film. Donnie has always been an orphan and the reason why he never took on his father's name is an emotional revelation. Who he is and why he wants to become a professional boxer is his darkest secret.
Both equally emotive and with comic interruptions, Jordan and Stallone deliver impressive performances. Stallone in particular gives what has to be his career best performance since Copland, and if this is his franchise swan song (owing to a devastating but befitting plot device) that's all the more reason why this film must be seen. But as they say, the show must go on and Jordan is more than capable of shouldering future films under the Creed banner. And with the inclusion of Philly local Bianca (Tessa Thompson), Donnie's neighbor and love interest, future sequels look to be set in Rocky's beloved hometown.
Onto the production quality and it suffices to say that Creed has THE best technical aspects in the franchise, including spectacular fight choreography, astounding cinematography in the ring and around Philadelphia, and an upbeat hip-hop soundtrack fused with the original score from previous films. The only real letdown comes from Donnie's main opponent (Real life professional boxer Tony Bellew) who isn't as antagonistic as you would expect, given the villainous ferocity from Clubber Lang (Rocky III) and the evil Ivan Drago (Rocky IV). But that's a minor blemish to an overall outstanding film made with grit, substance and style. At its best, Creed is a very intimate film for fans and newcomers and an undisputed knockout for 2015.
- LloydBayer
- Nov 24, 2015
- Permalink
Sylvester Stallone's Most Iconic Roles
Sylvester Stallone's Most Iconic Roles
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Creed. Corazón de campeón
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $109,778,883
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $29,632,823
- Nov 29, 2015
- Gross worldwide
- $174,178,883
- Runtime2 hours 13 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1