Michael B Jordan to make directorial debut with Creed 3; film to release on Thanksgiving 2022

Actor Michael B Jordan is all set to wear the director’s cap and make his debut with Creed 3, which will release on Thanksgiving 2022. Both MGM and Jordan have confirmed the news. In a statement, Jordan, who also stars in the movie, said that directing a film was always his aspiration and he was waiting for the right time. He added that the third instalment of Creed is the moment when he has “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”. The actor added that the Creed franchise as well as the themes were deeply personal to him, adding he looks forward to sharing the next chapter of Adonis Creed’s story with the responsibility of being a director as well. Jordan plays Adonis Creed Johnson, son of Apollo Creed, essayed by Carl Weathers in the boxing franchise. Interestingly, by also directing the upcoming chapter of the Creed franchise, Jordan seems to be growing closer to Stallone, who directed at least four parts of the Rocky franchise. Stallone, besides the second, third and fourth instalment of the much-celebrated franchise, also helmed Rocky Balboa, which hit the screens in 2006. The first part of Creed, a Rocky spinoff, directed by Ryan Coogler, released in 2015. The sequel to Creed hit the theatres in 2018 and was directed by Steven Caple Jr. With convincing roles in Marvel’s Black Panther and Tom Clancy’s character in Without Remorse, Jordan’s popularity has hit new highs since the first instalment of the boxing franchise was released. Now that he will be helming the film alongside playing the lead, the fans are even more excited. According to a report on Collider, the script of the film will be written by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin. Besides Jordan, Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad, too, are set to return, but it remains to be seen if Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa will return as Adonis Creed’s mentor. In a joint statement, Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group Chairman, and Pamela Abdy, MGM’s Film Group President, said that they are thrilled to share this next chapter in the Creed story, to theatres next year. “Michael’s vision for Creed III is incredibly exciting and will undoubtedly be an important contribution to the cannon of this storied franchise," they said.