Can the Rocky franchise exist without Rocky? Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018), both critical and commercial successes, were inescapably tethered to nostalgia. Sure, they may have wrestled with the question of whether Michael B Jordan’s Adonis “Donnie” Creed could make a name for himself beyond the reputation of his father, Apollo (Carl Weathers), and his mentor, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). But Stallone was still there, holding his audience’s hands through this new venture.
Creed III, finally, has actually answered the question at hand. And it’s done so with a firm and enthusiastic “yes”. Stallone, though he’s stayed on as a producer under his Balboa Productions banner, has fully stepped aside. There is no Rocky here. Characters don’t spend the entire film asking where he’s gone, either. The sequel sees Jordan stepping up and taking full ownership of his character. It’s also the actor’s directorial debut. Witnessing all of this is like watching someone rise to the throne.
