Filmmaker Irwin Winkler has confirmed that there will indeed be a Creed IV, and that not only will Michael B. Jordan be reprising his lead role in Adonis Creed, he’ll also be returning as director.
Winkler revealed at the meeting, “We are now planning to make “Creed IV” Deadline’s Contender Movie: Los Angeles Event Saturday. “We have a very good story (and) a very good plot. We’re a little delayed because of the strike, but in about a year we’ll be in pre-production.”
When it was confirmed that Jordan would in fact return to direct after Creed III (2023), Winkler, 92, had high praise for him: “He’s done a fantastic job – he’s very comfortable on camera.”
The famed filmmaker’s announcement comes on the heels of ongoing tension between him and “Rocky” creator/star Sylvester Stallone.
The longtime Hollywood leading man has been critical of Winkler, calling on him to give him an ownership stake in the Rocky and Creed franchises.
Stallone, 77, has been as critical of Winkler and the ownership situation as a heavyweight champion.
Stallone wrote in an Instagram post in July 2022: “I would really like to be able to take back at least what little rights I have left before passing them on only to your children – I believe that would be a fair gesture. “Reporter hollywood reporter.
Stallone called it a “painful subject” and admitted that the situation “eat my soul because I wanted to leave something of Rocky behind for my kids.”
Stallone came up with the character of Rocky Balboa in 1975 after watching Muhammad Ali fight against boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Chuck Wepner worked his butt off and wrote the first draft of the script for the original Rocky movie in just three days.
The then-relatively unknown actor got a little tough on United Artists, turning down a six-figure deal for the film rights and refusing to allow the film to be made without him in the lead role.
Ultimately, United Artists agreed to cast Stallone as Rocky Balboa, but as he told Variety in 2019, he had “zero ownership of Rocky.”
“It’s shocking that it never came to fruition, but I was told, ‘Hey, you’re getting paid, so what are you complaining about?'” “I was furious,” he said at the time.
Stallone starred in all six “Rocky” films and then reprized his role as an aging ex-boxer in “Creed” (2015), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The first Rocky spinoff, directed by Ryan Coogler from a script he co-wrote with Aaron Covington, was a hit with fans, grossing $173.6 million worldwide against a budget of $35-40 million Ten thousand U.S. dollars.
In addition to Jordan, who plays the title characters Adonis Creed and Stallone, the cast also includes Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad and Anthony Bellew.
Soon after, Stallone collaborated with Jewel Taylor on the screenplay for Creed II (2018), which was ultimately directed by Steven Caple Jr.
The sequel to the spinoff was more popular than its predecessor at the box office, grossing $214.1 million against a budget of $50 million.
Not only does Jordan return as the lead actor in Creed III (2023), he also makes his directorial debut with the film.
The latest film in the series, nine films between “Rocky” and “Creed,” is the first in the franchise not to star Sylvester Stallone in his iconic role of Rocky Balboa of the film, although he is credited as one of the producers.
Despite losing the star power of Stallone’s name on the big screen, it still surpassed the previous two films at the box office, taking in $275.3 million on a $75 million budget.
Likewise, pre-production on Creed IV is expected to begin in 2024.
As of now, there’s no official word on whether Stallone will reprise his role as Rocky Balboa.