Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone Star in Rocky Spinoff Creed

Posted on July 2, 2015

Sylvester Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa in the first trailer for Creed. Michael B. Jordan plays the son of Apollo Creed, Balboa's old nemesis and best friend. He's a young fighter that's self taught and he's trying to make a better life for himself.

Adonis Johnson never knew his father, who was the world heavyweight champion. Creed died before his son was born. But Adonis wants to make his legendary father proud, so he tracks down Rocky Balboa and convinces him to train him. Rocky is out of the fight game, but he sees something special in his friend's son.

The film co-stars Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed, Adonis' mother and Tessa Thompson as Bianca, Adonis' girlfriend. Adonis' big competitor is "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, played by English boxer and former three-time ABA Heavyweight Champion Anthony Bellew.

The trailer really takes us back to the original Rocky movie and its sequels. The Philadelphia setting, the young boxer training and training to be the best. In the trailer we get a reminder that Apollo Creed died in the ring. That was in Rocky IV when Apollo fought the vicious Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren. Rocky plead with his friend to give up the match, but Apollo wouldn't back down and he died at the hands of the Soviet fighter. Yes, there was still a Soviet Union when that movie came out -- it was 1985.

Now Stallone has the role of the wise mentor played by Burgess Meredtih in the films. Stallone also co-wrote the film, which was directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitville Station). Can Michael B. Jordan engage audiences enough to reinvigorate this franchise? Take a look:

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