The complete Creed trilogy, starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed and featuring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in the first two installments, is set to leave Netflix on August 31.
The franchise, which revitalized the iconic Rocky Balboa narrative by focusing on the son of his former rival Apollo Creed, has been praised for its compelling storytelling and action. The first film, released in 2015 and directed by Ryan Coogler, introduced Adonis Creed seeking out Rocky to train him. It followed traditional boxing movie tropes, leading to Adonis's rise as a successful boxer.
Creed II, released in 2018 and directed by Steven Caple Jr., deepened the connection to the original Rocky saga by pitting Adonis against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago, the boxer who killed Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. This installment served as a direct sequel to both Creed and Rocky IV, with Rocky Balboa playing a central role due to his personal investment in the conflict.
The trilogy concluded with Creed III in 2023, which marked Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut. In this film, Adonis faced Damian "Dame" Anderson, a childhood friend whose promising boxing career was cut short by a prison sentence for a crime Adonis committed. Dame's release from prison leads to a challenge for Adonis's title. Sylvester Stallone did not appear in Creed III due to creative differences regarding the film's darker tone and a dispute with producer Irwin Winkler.
Despite Stallone's absence, the Creed trilogy has been largely lauded, with the films offering a rewarding experience for both newcomers and longtime fans of the Rocky universe. A fourth Creed film is reportedly in development.