Somehow, nearly 40 years after the first film, Sylvester Stallone is back as the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa.
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“The fact that he knows my name is exciting. It’s a lot of fun, working on those movies”. Sometimes it’s marriage. I just said, ‘This is it!’ Opening on Wednesday, November 25, 2015, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Director Ryan Coogler obsessively pays homage to his source material as he introduces and electrifies the beloved franchise for a new generation. Tommy Gunn, played by the late-Tommy Morrison, is way over-the-top as Rocky’s predecessor. It’s there that Apollo’s nurturing widow (Phylicia Rashad) finds him and – though she’s not his real mother – takes the young man home. It’s a complex portrait, one that feeds the journey of the film’s main character rather than steal his spotlight. Rocky was symbolism for hope: he lost the fight but won the girl, yelling out “Adrian, Adrian” repeatedly in despair until she enters the crowded ring to embrace her beaten warrior, bringing tears of emotion to the already uplifting tale.
While no one would blame Stallone for not wanting to appear in this Rocky movie that’s not all that much about Rocky, Stallone gives it his all. When Rocky scribbles down a workout routine and Adonis grabs the notes on a smartphone photo he stores “in the cloud”, Rocky’s baffled expression as he looks to the heavens is priceless. Essentially taking on the role of Burgess Meredith’s old trainer Mickey character from the series’ early days, the veteran actor delightfully registers as a paisano from the old neighborhood, a man of the streets who’s lived his life, fought his battles and has no more scores to settle. Despite initial resistance, it’s a given that Rocky will cave and help the kid out, and Stallone is at his near-best as he charmingly walks the line between tired resignation at the encroachment of old age and the inextinguishable desire to get back in the game again.
Winkler goes on to say that the ending changed many, many times, but they actually shot two different endings: one where Adonis wins the fight, and one where Adonis loses.
“Creed is about a sense of identity”, said Coogler, “which is what I think the first Rocky was but the other themes are what make this fresh”. Turns out we really did need another “Rocky” movie. “He’s small. And we wanted Adonis to kind of feel like that, because he’s a character who basically kind of taught himself how to box”. That’ll get you fired up. Boxing movies are weirdly sticky with the Academy-remember how Million Dollar Baby came out of nowhere to surprise everyone in 2005?-and with the fizzling of the Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle Southpaw, there’s not much competition in that arena.
He also picked up tips on boxing from technical adviser/trainer Robert Sale, who put Jordan through the paces at the Powerhouse Gym in Burbank, California.
Kris Tapley at In Contention talks up Sylvester Stallone in Ryan Coogler’s upcoming Rocky redux Creed.
Like in Rocky, Creed has a love story.
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Coogler also encouraged the actress to hang out in the City of Brotherly Love and pick up on the Philly vibe. “This is the beginning of, hopefully, a whole new series”.
