Creed 4has gone a while without any major updates, leading some fans of the beloved sporting franchise to worry that it may not happen after all. The film is officially in the early stages of development, but in the two years sinceCreed 3was released, there have been no updates or confirmations about cast, story, or filming dates. However, recent comments by Michael B. Jordan suggest thatCreed 4’s confirmationmay not be as solid as audiences were hoping.
Additionally, Michael B. Jordan is extremely busy with hisupcoming remake ofThe Thomas Crown Affair,which he’s supposed to be directing.This will take up plenty of time that could have been used onCreed 4, and given how passionate the actor/filmmaker is about theRockyspinoff franchise, the fact that he signed on forThe Thomas Crown Affairlikely means thatCreed 4is lacking momentum. Admittedly, this can be a cause for concern. So many projects have been stuck in development hell, andCreed 4falling into the same categrory would be disappointing.
Michael B. Jordan Doesn’t Want To Make Creed 4 “Just To Make It”
The Movie Should Only Be Made If There’s A Good Idea
If there’s going to be a fourth movie in theCreedfranchise, lead starMichael B. Jordan believes that it will be born of necessity— not greed or laziness. The idea of makingCreed 4“just to make it”seems like a depressing idea given all the creative spirit that’s gone into the previous three movies, so the producers want to avoid this at all costs. This series was clearly a passion project for Jordan, and you can definitely feel that through the strength of the storytelling.
Jordan’s stance on makingCreed 4is a huge relief, because it means that this franchise won’t be sucked dry or spread too thin. This often happens when filmmakers are forced to keep making sequels despite having no intention of continuing the story, andit’s encouraging that Jordan is aware of this problem and working actively to avoid it. TheCreedsequels have always felt more cinematic and passionate than most of theRockyones, so this is the perfect time to stop while they’re ahead.
The Later Rocky Movies Struggled To Justify Their Existence
Creed Is Actively Working Against This Disappointing Fate
AlthoughRockyis often viewed as one of the all-time great sports movies, this same status can’t be applied to some of the later sequels.Rocky 2is a fairly strong follow-up that does a good job of expanding this story with new characters and complex backstories, but the third movie ultimately fell victim to the same lack of passion that Michael B. Jordan was describing regardingCreed 4.It’s muchbetter to stop now than accidentally make theRocky 3of theCreedfranchise.
However, the reason that theRockymovies began to decrease in quality is that they valued increased action and higher stakes above rich character work and development.This is a common problem that’s never applied toCreed,which has consistently put its characters first and ensured that each passing movie served a clear purpose for its protagonist and his family.Creedis a better series thanRockyon the whole, so there’s no reason that it couldn’t keep being so good.
I’m Fine With Creed 4 Taking A While If It Means Maintaining The Franchise’s Quality
The Crew Should Take Their Time To Make A Great Sequel
Ultimately, Michael B. Jordan is right.The quality of theCreedsequels is infinitely more important than their quantity, and if it takes several years forCreed 4to see the light of day, that just means that extra care is being put into the story. Those who truly care about Adonis’ story and want to see it reach its full potential shouldn’t be disappointed by the lack of movement inCreed 4, but should rather be encouraged that Jordan and the rest of the crew are clearly so fixated on getting it right.
Following the emotional ending ofCreed 3, it’s not exactly clear where the franchise will go from here.
Following the emotionalending ofCreed 3, it’s not exactly clear where the franchise will go. While that can be daunting, it’s also an exciting period, as the series can craft an entirely new chapter. That sequel clearly ended with the notion in mind that it could be the last, wrapping up Adonis’ story in a way that is both satisfying on its own while leaving the door open for a return in the future. This means there’s no immediate need for the character to return, andCreed 4can take as long as it takes.
