Rocky and Adonis are finally coming back. And this time, they’re bringing Ivan Drago with them. After a pretty long delay, work is finally getting underway forCreed 2, as the highly-anticipated sequel is set to begin filming in February of 2018. No director has been announced yet, but since Ryan Coogler should be done with his commitments toBlack Pantherby then, it seems likely that he’ll return to helm the sequel.
The news comes to us courtesy of My Entertainment World and the site states thatCreed 2is slated to begin production on June 22, 2025, in Philadelphia. Not a whole lot more information was provided, but the side does provide a very brief synopsis for the sequel, which reads, “Adonis Creed tries to seek revenge when he goes toe to toe with the man who killed his father.” Those of you who know theRockyfranchise know that means thatIvan Dragois going to come back into the fold for the first time sinceRocky IV, which is a huge deal.
This doesn’t come as any surprise, asSylvester Stallonestarted teasing thatDolph Lundgren will reprise his roleas Ivan Drago inCreed 2several months ago on Instagram. Even though the studio has yet to confirm it, Stallone has all but made it official since. And considering that Stallone wrote the script forCreed 2, he would be the one in control of that sort of thing. As for that synopsis? It makes it sounds like Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis is going to be fighting Ivan Drago, but that doesn’t seem likely. There’s been a lot of speculation that it will beDrago’s sonin the ring withCreed, but that has yet to be confirmed. Though, Stallone did say he’ll at least be throwing one punch in Drago’s direction. Let’s get ready to rumble.
Rocky IVis considered to be one of the best entries in the franchise and arguably the best sequel in the series, save for maybeRocky II. So having a connection to such a beloved movie inCreed 2can only help. That is, as long as it doesn’t come off as a total gimmick and feels like a necessary story to tell. But considering how good the first movie was, fans don’t really have any cause for concern.
Creedwas released in 2015 to stellar reviews, currently boasting a 95 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was also financially successful, bringing in $173.5 million on a budget of just $35 million. It even earned Sylvester Stallone a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars, but he ultimately lost out to Mark Rylance.Creed 2seemed inevitable, given the success and, it may have taken longer than many of us would have liked, but My Entertainment World promises that thenext movie in the Rocky franchiseis finally on its way. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as more information is made available.
