Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Creed 3
Creed III moves the film’s story from Philadelphia to Los Angeles — and that’s a good thing for a variety of reasons. Michael B. Jordan returns to reprise his role as Adonis Creed, the now-retired heavyweight champion boxer. In addition to leading the film onscreen, Creed III marks Jordan’s directorial debut, and it has been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a primarily positive critical reception.
The first two Creed movies were primarily set in Philadelphia, and the city, as well as Adonis Creed connecting with Rocky Balboa, set the boxer on his path to success. Philadelphia has a storied history in the Rocky franchise, but Creed III went a different route, moving Adonis and his family to LA, where they have been living in the years since the end of Creed II. Adonis Creed now runs a boxing gym where rising boxers come to train, and Bianca has really settled into her music career in the city. LA is a far cry from Philadelphia, but the change is beneficial to Creed III and the overall Rocky franchise.
Creed 3's LA Setting Is Much Better For Donnie's Story Than Philadelphia
Creed III is very much a personal story for Adonis. He’s grappled with his father’s legacy and his own, but the introduction of Damian Anderson allowed Creed to truly reckon with his own past, and the young man who had such a crucial influence on him in his youth. Creed III needed to be set in LA to tackle Donnie and Dame’s stories simultaneously, as well as their history. Had the Creed sequel remained in Philadelphia, Adonis’ past wouldn’t have been explored in the same way. The LA setting adds an emotional component that would have been missing had Creed III remained in Philly.
LA was where Adonis Creed grew into the man he became. Philadelphia, while still deeply connected to Adonis through his father and Rocky Balboa, doesn’t have the same sentimental touch or nostalgia. What’s more, Adonis could give back to his community in LA in a way he couldn’t have done in Philadelphia. And since Creed III is the first of the franchise to not feature Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, it makes more sense for Adonis to be in LA where he has firmly established his roots. It’s where he was able to grow by reconciling with his past, shaping his future as a family man, mentor, and friend, and not simply as a boxer.
Creed 3's Philadelphia Change Repeats A Key Rocky IV Trick
Creed III leaving Philadelphia behind for sunny LA repeats a key Rocky IV trick, as it was the first Rocky movie to have a change in setting. It saw Rocky Balboa going to the Soviet Union and training there. Considering it was the fourth film in the franchise, Rocky leaving Philadelphia behind was a good change of pace for audiences. It breathed a bit of fresh air into the franchise and offered a much-needed change of scenery and a break from Rocky’s daily life in Philadelphia. It also upped some of the stakes while expanding the scope of Rocky's story.
Creed III follows suit by shifting the story’s setting to LA, and it’s all the better for it. It enriches Adonis Creed’s story, elevating his relationship with Damian. It also allows Creed III to separate itself from previous films in the Rocky franchise without straying too far from the path the films have taken in the past. LA is firmly Adonis Creed’s home, and the setting change is appropriate for the story it’s telling about the boxer’s past and present life.