'Rocky' sequel starring Michael B. Jordan in the works
Credit: MGM
Hot off the heels of the high-profile, Sundance-winning Fruitvale Station, MGM is planning on reuniting director Ryan Coogler with star Michael B. Jordan for Creed, a film centering on the grandson of Apollo Creed in a continuation of the famed Rocky film franchise.
Coogler is expected to write the film with Aaron Covington, and will feature Sylvester Stallone reprising his role as Rocky Balboa, who is now a trainer following his retirement from the ring. The project is being fast-tracked in order to capitalize on the success of Fruitvale Station, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Awards at Sundance, captured Prize Of The Future at the Cannes Film Festival, and had a strong summer platform opening.
The idea came from Coogler, who identified Creed as a dream project when he signed with WME (William Morris Endeavor). The agency put Coogler together with Stallone, who is currently working on porting a stage musical based on his original Oscar-winning 1976 film Rocky over to Broadway. Stallone loved the idea and felt it was a strong enough reason to resurrect the film franchise. Together, Stallone and Coogler approached MGM’s Gary Barber and Jon Glickman, and they reportedly flipped for it. The film will be produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, who produced the original, along with Stallone and Kevin King.
Jordan is expected to play the grandson of Apollo Creed, the late boxer played in the early movies by Carl Weathers. Coming from a wealthy upbringing thanks to his grandfather's ring riches, the young man doesn’t need to box nor does his family want him to. However, he has the natural potential that made his grandfather a world champion, so he turns to Balboa, the man who unseated Apollo Creed for the heavyweight title in 1979's Rocky II, to mentor him and prepare him for a career in boxing. Unfortunately, Rocky is still plagued by the personal losses his boxing career has inflicted, and he is not eager to return to the sport.
Of course, fans of the franchise will remember that Rocky Balboa was not only Apollo Creed’s greatest opponent but later his best friend -- until that dreaded moment when he was killed by Soviet fighter Ivan Drago (played by Dolph Lundgren in 1985's Rocky IV) after Creed refused to allow Rocky to stop the fight.
Coogler intends to approach the story by building on the mythology of the first three Rocky films, considered to be the best ones, and moving the narrative forward from there. The deal is currently being finalized by WME, which reps Coogler, Jordan and Stallone.
Via: Deadline