The theory that Jonathan Majors will be playing Clubber Lang's son in Creed 3 would solve a significant issue for the upcoming spin-off. Michael B. Jordan has starred in two Rocky spin-off movies, which have each been generally well-received, and is set to both star in and direct the third entry in the series. Creed 3 is currently set for a November 23, 2022 release, and while specific details on the film's story have been kept quiet, the details that have come to light are understanding creating all kinds of fan theories.
Recent set photos reveal Jonathan Majors' villain training on a beach, and the photos have fuelled speculation that Majors could be playing Clubber Lang's son. Mr T.'s Clubber Lang appeared in Rocky III as Rocky's newest rival following Apollo Creed's retirement, humiliating the Italian Stallion and winning the championship before the film's climactic rematch. Rocky's defeat at Lang's hands motivated him to build a friendship with Apollo Creed, indirectly setting up the events of the Creed movies in the process. The theory that Majors will play Lang Jr. in Creed 3 is unsubstantiated, but it adds an interesting layer of context to the legacy sequel's potential story.
If Majors does play Clubber Lang's son, the decision has the potential to bring back one of the franchise's key tropes. Throughout the Rocky and Creed franchises, its protagonists are perpetual underdogs, and it's an important part of the movies' various stories. Majors playing Lang Jr. would feed directly into this idea, helping the Creed franchise further find its feet - especially important as Stallone won't be returning for Creed 3.
Creed 3's Heavyweight Problem Explained
Creed 3 seemingly finds itself with a story problem. While Michael B. Jordan is excellent in his role as Adonis Creed, he's relatively small compared to other fighters. So far, this has worked well within the Creed movies, as the first film saw him boxing as a light heavyweight against the much taller and more experienced "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, and the second film saw him move up to heavyweight, where he operates as a smaller fighter than many of his opponents. Creed 2 also saw Adonis fight against Viktor Drago, the son of the man who killed his father. The filial grudge match saw the young Creed avenge Apollo's death at Drago's hands, beating the much larger opponent in the process.
The announcement of Majors as Creed 3's villain causes a potential heavyweight issue. As Majors and Jordan are similar heights, neither man has a clear advantage over the other. This not only indicates that Creed and Majors' characters may be evenly matched, but it also creates a bigger problem: if there's no clear underdog, Creed 3 would be lacking in the drama that has been at the core of every Rocky and Creed film to date.
Rocky Movies Always Needs An Underdog Element
The idea of the underdog is one of the Rocky franchise's central tenets. Starting with the very first film, the eponymous fighter was always written to be an underdog, particularly as Rocky Balboa was never a particularly good boxer. First, he fought against the legendary champion Apollo Creed as an unknown and unproven prospect, and then he suffered a defeat at the hands of the ferocious Clubber Lang. After Rocky's time fighting the odds had passed, Adonis Creed then started to do the same in the Creed franchise, which serves as a continuation of Rocky's important underdog trope.
The idea of the titular fighters being underdogs is the core idea behind the franchise and is largely responsible for its broad success. By making its protagonists the underdog, the Rocky and Creed franchises give their movies not only plenty of drama but also relatable, human stories about overcoming the odds. This makes Rocky and Adonis clear heroes, even in the world of boxing where the idea of good and evil hardly applies.
Jonathan Majors' Creed 3 Character Could Be Clubber Lang's Son
Speculation that Creed 3's villain will be Clubber Lang's son started back in 2018 when Sylvester Stallone himself suggested the idea. While the merits of this narrative device have long been debated among Rocky and Creed's fans, the idea itself remains true to the Creed franchise's direction so far. Creed was similar to Rocky: a relative unknown is given a chance at the championship against a far more experienced fighter—and it even mirrored the first film's ending. Creed II followed the route of other legacy sequels, introducing the son of his father's rival in order to set up a brutal grudge match.
The idea that Majors could play Lang Jr. is an interesting one, as it would bring back the son of one of Rocky's worst enemies, Clubber Lang, potentially rekindling the rivalry for the new generation. Whether Creed 3 would mirror the events of Rocky III by having Adonis dethroned by Lang Jr. only to set up a climactic rematch isn't clear, but it would be an interesting way to continue the franchise while still paying homage to the Rocky movies - something which will be particularly important if Stallone has truly left the franchise.
Creed 3's Clubber Lang Theory Fixes The Underdog Issue
If Majors does indeed play Lang Jr. in Creed 3, it would solve the potential issue of having no clear underdog. While Majors and Johnson are similar sizes, if Majors is revealed to be the son of Clubber Lang, it's only natural to assume he'd have a similar fighting style. Mr. T's Clubber Lang from Rocky III was a relentless pressure fighter, and making Majors a Mike Tyson-esque powerhouse would certainly cause problems for Adonis Creed and if that is to be the case, Creed 3 would easily find its underdog story.
By making Adonis an underdog once more, Creed 3 will keep that particular narrative device intact. What's more, with Stallone supposedly not returning, Creed 3's story could draw even more parallels with Rocky III, in which Stallone killed off Rocky's beloved trainer, Mick. This would inject even more drama into Creed 3's story, and create an underdog story very much akin to that of Rocky III. Although it's unclear exactly who Jonathan Majors' Creed 3 character is at present, the theory that he might be Clubber Lang's son would fix the potential issues the sequel will face.