MovieChat Forums > Creed III (2023) Discussion > They don't even MENTION Rocky?

They don't even MENTION Rocky?

posted 6 months ago by ReelReviews14 (1220)
2 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I totally understand the decision to NOT have Creed III marketed around "Starring Sylvester Stallone" so they can have the spinoff franchise become a legitimate "Michael B. Jordan" vehicle in its OWN right, but they should at least MENTION where the heck Rocky is during the events of this film. It was really weird that he was a MAJOR character in the first two Rocky films, but doesn't even give Adonis a phone call during the time he goes thru hell during THIS film.

If they didn't want to use Stallone AT ALL, and officially "pass the torch" to Michael B. Jordan, they could have just killed him off, off-screen, between the events of Creed II and Creed III. A more tasteful way to "explain" why Rocky is AWOL during the entire movie could have been some throwaway line that Rocky is "out of town for a while getting to know his grandson, and can't be reached". The end of Creed II set that up nicely.

The best case scenario they COULD have used would be to keep Stallone out of the marketing materials and trailers completely, not mention him at all for most of the movie, but have him show up at the big climax (spectator in the audience at the fight, there to help Adonis with "moral support"), or give him one-line in a surprise post-credits sequence. EITHER CAMEO would have been kept under wraps and would have been a fun "reveal" for the audience to remind people the movie is still taking place in the Rocky universe.

But nope, this movie just pretends like Rocky disappeared off the face of the earth and nobody noticed.

Bleh!

[–] MeYouFools (169) 6 months ago

A cameo wasn't happening. Stallone and producer Irwin Winkler are feuding because Winkler did some shady backdoor deal to get the rights to Rocky all for himself, which apparently is in violation of the deal made between Stallone, Winkler, and other "Rocky" producer Robert Chartoff back in the 70s. Stallone has said he would love to do "Creed IV" with Jordan directing... but the caveat is that Winkler cannot be involved.

The end credits claims Stallone is an "executive producer," but he's come out and said he had absolutely nothing to do with the making of the movie.

"they could have just killed him off, off-screen, between the events of Creed II and Creed III."

Get therapy, will ya?

Besides, Irwin Winkler said that Rocky will not be dying while he's still alive. He already saved Rocky from being killed by Stallone in "Rocky V" and Ryan Coogler in "Creed." Killing the character now is just stupid.

[–] Tam87 (1173) 6 months ago

A lesson to all artists - when you create something, make sure it's yours at all costs.

It's sad to see Stallone in such a state at his own creation being usurped from him. His life's work in the hands of theives. Must be gut wrenching.

The Creed franchise will ultimately fizzle out because the current lead doesn't have the heart that Stallone brought to the original Rocky character, nor does it have the comic book-like characters of Thunderlips, Drago & Clubber to keep it going for 6 odd movies.