Creed (2015)
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rash?d, Tony Bellew
Director: Ryan Coogler
Studio: Chartoff-Winkler Productions, New Line Cinema
Distributor: Warner Bros., Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre(s): Sports Drama
Based On Characters by Sylvester Stallone
Rating: ?????
Review Spoilers: Medium
IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia
It’s hard to imagine a world where Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa isn’t the champion in the ring anymore. However, Ryan Coogler’s fresh new take on the Rocky franchise brings a new champion into the forefront. Picking up the story with the young Adonis Creed, the lovechild of former world champion Apollo Creed, we are thrown back to the past as Creed utilizes all of the things that we loved about the first original Rocky to create a new movie for a new generation.
Raised in group homes and thrown around in juvie, Donnie is adopted by Apollo’s wife and raised as her son as he grows up with the passion to fight. While the essential plot of Creed reads similar to a blueprint from Rocky, Donnie is a different protagonist all together.
![[freep.com]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/maxresdefault-freepcom-470x261.jpg)
But, in a new generation, new stories can be created, because there are still underdogs. As the first story of the franchise to come to fruition without Stallone at the writing helm, the story takes a change and it revitalizes. After being adopted by Apollo’s wife, Mary Anne, Donnie is raised in a privileged household and finds himself in a good job, from which he has just received a promotion, but feels unfulfilled.
![[totalrocky.com]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/rocky-7-spinoff-creed-apollo-1024x680-totalrocky-470x312.jpg)
It’s Donnie’s own story, the chip on his shoulder, that allows him room to play off of Stallone’s Rocky. Donnie’s relationship with his “uncle” Rocky quite literally brings Rocky back to life while helps Donnie to not only fulfill his dream but to reconcile the feelings he has within him for his father.
![[comingsoon.com]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/file_610406_creed-trailer-comingsoo-470x235.jpg)
Creed pulls on the heartstrings as it draws forth Rocky’s own fears and insecurities as well as his desire to see Donnie succeed. Coming from 1976 with Rocky Balboa strolling down the streets of Philly and roughing up guys for a loan shark to training Apollo Creed’s son in 2015 is a long journey. For those of us who have walked with him, it’s an emotional one as well, but for those who are being introduced to Rocky for the first time through Creed have a perfect introduction.
![[wweek.com]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/creed-movie-images-jordan-stallone-wweek-470x235.jpg)