As previously reported here at The Root, Just Mercy star Michael B. Jordan will be making his directorial debut with the third installment of the Creed franchise. And now it looks like we’ve finally got a premiere date!
According to Deadline, Jordan’s Creed III will be coming to the masses Thanksgiving 2022. The film will see the continuation of Adonis “Donnie” Creed, son of Apollo Creed from the Rocky franchise, his fiance Bianca (played by Tessa Thompson who initially divulged the information), and their new baby Amara as Donnie attempts to juggle building a family and building a legacy separate from his father. Speaking on his excitement of being in the director’s chair for the first time, Jordan told Deadline:
“Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right. Creed III is that moment — a time in my life where I’ve grown more sure of who I am, holding agency in my own story, maturing personally, growing professionally, and learning from the Greats like Ryan Coogler, most recently Denzel Washington, and other top tier directors I respect. All of which sets the table for this moment. This franchise and in particular the themes of Creed III are deeply personal to me. I look forward to sharing the next chapter of Adonis Creed’s story with the awesome responsibility of being its director and namesake.”
Creed and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, who originally pitched the franchise to Sylvester Stallone and Jordan, serves as producer for Creed III.
“The films of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise have always been important to me and my family. It was an honor to help bring the Creed franchise to life with Sly, Michael, Tessa, Irwin, and all the creative parties involved. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see Mike in the director’s chair on the third installment. The team at Proximity and I are excited about the story Keenan and Zach have crafted and can’t wait to help bring it to life,” Coogler added.
Jordan is no doubt staying busy these days. He’s currently filming the Denzel Washington-directed Journal for Jordan opposite Chante Adams. He can next be seen flexing his Navy SEAL skills in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse for Amazon Studios, which hits the streamer on April 30.