Creed is a 2015 American sports drama film which is a spin-off from the Rocky film series, and as such, is first film in the Creed film series and the seventh film in the overall series.
Plot[]
In 1998, Adonis "Donnie" Johnson -- the son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed via an extramarital affair -- is serving time in a Los Angeles youth detention center when Creed's widow, Mary Anne, visits and offers to take him in.
In 2015, Donnie is in Tijuana, Mexico, preparing for his fight in an amateur boxing bout hosted in a bar. Upon returning from his latest fight, Donnie resigns from the Smith Boardley Financial Group to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer. Donnie auditions at Los Angeles' elite Delphi Boxing Academy, managed by family friend Tony "Little Duke" Evers Jr., the son of Apollo's trainer Tony "Duke" Evers, but is turned down. This rejection is further emphasized as Donnie is beaten in a sparring match by light heavyweight division #2 contender Danny "The Stuntman" Wheeler after he publicly challenges the whole gym to prove himself, betting his 1967 Ford Mustang that no one can get a clean head shot on him. Mary Anne vehemently opposes his aspirations, remembering how her husband was killed in the ring by Ivan Drago thirty years ago. Undaunted, Donnie travels to Philadelphia in hopes of getting in touch with his father's old friend and rival, former heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa.
Donnie meets Rocky at Rocky's Italian restaurant, Adrian's, named in honor of his deceased wife, and asks Rocky to become his trainer. Rocky is reluctant to return to boxing, having already made a one-off comeback at a very advanced age despite having suffered brain trauma during his career as a fighter. However, he eventually agrees. Donnie asks him about the "secret third fight" between him and Apollo just after Apollo helped Rocky regain the heavyweight title, and Rocky reveals that Apollo won. Donnie trains at the Front Street Gym, with several of Rocky's longtime friends as cornermen. He also finds a love interest in Bianca, an up-and-coming singer and songwriter in the early stages of progressive hearing loss.
Donnie, fighting under his biological mother's surname, Johnson, and the fight name "Hollywood", defeats local fighter Leo "The Lion" Sporino, which upsets the opposing corner. This leads to the opposing side leaking the news that Donnie is Creed's illegitimate son. Rocky receives a call from the handlers of world light heavyweight champion "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, who is being forced into retirement by an impending prison term. He offers to make Donnie his final challenger—provided that he legally change his surname to Creed. Donnie balks at first, wanting to forge his own legacy. However, he eventually agrees.
While helping Donnie train, Rocky is diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is unwilling to undergo chemotherapy, remembering that it was not enough to save Adrian when she had ovarian cancer. His diagnosis and the fact that his best friend and brother-in-law Paulie Pennino—Adrian's brother—has now died on top of Adrian, Apollo, and his old trainer, Mickey Goldmill, further force him to confront his own mortality. Seeing Rocky shaken, Donnie urges him to seek treatment, which he does.
Donnie fights Conlan at Goodison Park in Conlan's hometown of Liverpool, and many parallels emerge between the bout that ensues, and Apollo and Rocky's first fight forty years earlier. First, before entering the ring, Donnie receives a present from Mary Anne — new American flag trunks similar to the ones Apollo and later Rocky wore. Additionally, to the surprise of nearly everyone, Donnie gives Conlan all he can handle. Conlan knocks Donnie down, but Donnie recovers to knock Conlan down for the first time in his career. Donnie goes the distance, but Conlan wins on a split decision, and Donnie has won the respect of Conlan and the crowd. As Max Kellerman puts it while calling the fight for HBO, "Ricky Conlan won the fight, but Adonis Creed won the night." Conlan tells Donnie that he is the future of the light heavyweight division.
The film ends with Donnie and a frail but improving Rocky climbing the 72 steps outside the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Cast[]
- Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson Creed
- Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa
- Tessa Thompson as Bianca
- Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed
- Tony Bellew as "Pretty" Ricky Conlan
- Graham McTavish as Tommy Holiday
- Wood Harrisas Tony "Little Duke" Evers
- Andre Ward as Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler
- Gabriel Rosado as Leo Sporino
- Tony Burton as Tony "Duke" Evers (archive footage)
- Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed (archive footage)
- Talia Shire as Adrian Balboa (photo)
Accolades[]
- Sylvester Stallone won his first Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture.
Trivia[]
- Michael B. Jordan reunites with his frequent collaborator Ryan Coogler and also Wood Harris, whom Jordan worked with on The Wire.
- It is also the first Rocky film:
- To not have Sylvester Stallone as a writer.
- To not have Burt Young as Paulie.
- To not have Rocky Balboa as the protagonist.
- Filming began on January 19, 2015 in Liverpool and later also took place in Philadelphia, PA, Rocky's symbolic home. It was released on November 25, 2015 in the United States - the 40th anniversary of the date of the opening scene in the original Rocky.