Ever the gent, Sylvester Stallone explains how he bowed out gracefully from Creed III.
There are few actors we like more than Stallone, the man's an icon, mentor and the reason we can't look at a punching bag without hearing 'Eye Of The Tiger'.
So, naturally, it came as a bit of a shock that he wouldn't be reprising his iconic role as Rocky Balboa for the hit sequel franchise.
Creed III marks Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut and will see the star reprise his role as Adonis ‘Donnie’ Creed.
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Now, for those unfamiliar, the prior two Creed films saw Stallone reprise his role as Balboa, who acts as the tough-but-fair mentor to Donnie, son of Apollo Creed - Rocky’s greatest rival and friend from the original Rocky films.
News of Stallone not being in the next instalment obviously disappointed fans, but the icon has no hard feelings, in fact, he bowed out of the role.
Telling Metro yesterday, 20 June, at the launch of Paramount Plus: "Well it’s different because actually I bowed out of that one, I just didn’t know if there was any part for me."
Still, Stallone is fighting Creed's corner every step of the way, calling the film 'really interesting' and adding: "It takes it in a different direction. I wish them well and keep punching!"
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Balboa isn't the only one excited about the new film, because Jordan's co-star Tessa Thompson, who plays Donnie’s fiancée Bianca, was also keen to see how Jordan would direct.
"He is directing the next Creed. It’s going to be ammo, I think, for me, when he is engaging with me as a director."
Still, just because he's directing doesn't mean Thompson won't tease Jordan about being voted People's 'Sexiest Man Alive', adding "I’m just going to tell him to dial down the sexiness. But we’re not gonna make it until later in the year. So who knows what happens? Another man will be – I don’t know if he will still be the Sexiest Man Alive in six months."
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While we're still waiting for the trailer to drop, you won't have to wait too much longer to see Jordan's directorial skills put to the test because the film is finally set for release on 23rd November 2022, after facing a fair few Covid-related delays.
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Topics: Film and TV, Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Celebrity, News