Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa won’t be in the third installment of “Creed,” but not because of any rivalry with star Michael B. Jordan.
The “Black Panther” star, 35, in a new interview with Total Film, explained the absence of Stallone in the most recent installment of the franchise the 76-year-old began.
“We wouldn’t have Donnie without Rocky, and he will always be a pillar in Donnie’s life, but ‘Creed III’ is really the dawn of a new era for the franchise and the character,” Jordan told the outlet.
“It was really important from a storytelling perspective to get to a pivotal point in Donnie’s career a few years down the line where he has really established himself with his professional career and his family,” he continued.
Stallone, who wrote the screenplay for and starred in the original “Rocky,” earned an Oscar nomination for his role.
The film took home multiple Academy Awards, including one for best picture. It was followed by multiple sequels before the series rebooted with Jordan. The first “Creed” hit theaters in 2015 and, after much critical and commercial success, spawned a sequel in 2018. “Creed III” is due out next year.
Unlike the Stallone-led “Rocky” films, the “Creed” series, led by director Ryan Coogler, spotlights the relationship between Jordan’s Donnie, son of Rocky’s rival-turned-friend Apollo Creed. Rocky mentors Donnie in the first two films.
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