Back in 1985, Rocky IV was nothing short of a blockbuster, ranking as the third highest-grossing film of the year, nestled right between Back to the Future and Rambo: First Blood Part II. At the time, it seemed like the perfect ending to an era. Fast forward to 2018, and here we are with Creed II, starring Michael B. Jordan, tying directly into a film released over three decades earlier. It's a story that proves how the past never truly leaves us, and Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa saga is living proof of that. Few could have predicted that a film would connect so deeply with its predecessor from so long ago.
(Photo Credit: United Artists)
Michael B. Jordan Revives the Creed Legacy
Michael B. Jordan steps back into the ring as Adonis Creed, whose father, Apollo (played by Carl Weathers), tragically met his end in the ring at the hands of Russia's heavyweight champion, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). In Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa embarks on a mission to avenge his best friend by traveling to Russia, where he ultimately defeats Drago against all odds. The story seemed to conclude there, but as we've learned, the world of boxing and legacy doesn't always stay neatly tied up.
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Sylvester Stallone's Vision: A Cycle of Legacy
Stallone explains his perspective on life and storytelling, emphasizing how everything comes full circle. "Life is cyclical," he reflects. "When I sat down to think about the narrative for Creed II, I realized it's all about the 'sins of the father.' It's not just Adonis Creed carrying the weight of his father's legacy; Ivan Drago's son, Viktor, is also burdened by his father's past. The question became: what if Ivan had a son? And what kind of legacy did he inherit?"
(Photo Credit: MGM/Warner Bros)
A Legacy Revisited: Rocky's Past Meets Adonis's Present
In Creed II, Stallone reveals how the past catches up with Rocky and Adonis. "Rocky's history comes back to haunt him," Stallone notes. "And Adonis gets drawn into this because Ivan Drago is the man who killed his father. It was the darkest moment in Rocky's life when Apollo stepped in for him during that exhibition match with Ivan—and lost his life. Now, Adonis feels compelled to take on Ivan's son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu), to avenge his father. Meanwhile, Ivan, after losing to Rocky, lost everything and spent years instilling hatred and revenge in his son. He's come back to prove he's not a failure, using Viktor to achieve that. Rocky, on the other hand, fears history will repeat itself. I thought this would make for an engaging theme, almost Shakespearean in its depth and character arcs. It’s also a blending of two generations of beloved characters."
