Reportedly, Creed III takes a substantial time jump from Creed II, and the first trailer already hints at the extent in which Adonis “Donnie” Johnson has changed. 2015’s Creed kickstarted a spinoff of the Rocky franchise, and Donnie’s journey through two movies has been critically acclaimed. With continued success, there’s even a chance the Creed movies could beat the Rocky franchise outright, and a good portion of that is due to the quality of Donnie’s story arc outside the boxing ring.
Creed III seems to be on the right path once again, with the much-anticipated sequel set to take place seven years after the events of Creed II. Michael B. Jordan explained his reasoning behind the big time jump in a recent interview with CinemaBlend, noting he wanted “to get to the next stage, the next crossroads” for Donnie and Bianca (Tessa Thompson). Fittingly, the first trailer for Creed III hints at some of the ways Donnie and Bianca’s lives have changed, and there are a lot of good signs - and perhaps some slightly concerning ones too.
Why Creed 3 Takes Place 7 Years After Creed 2
Donnie and even his family will clearly have their hands full with Damian, Jonathan Majors’ Creed III villain. However, Creed III will also show Donnie and Bianca as “young adults dealing with professional careers and family, and the choices that come with that.” It’s not a coincidence Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut is the third installment of the Creed franchise, as he clearly feels a close connection to Donnie’s journey. While Jordan was making Creed III, he felt Donnie and Bianca were "a reflection of kind of where I was in my life, professionally, personally. I just had a lot to say around that, so I figured we'd progress things there."
How Creed 3's Trailer Teases How Much Donnie Has Changed
Interestingly enough, according to a Forbes cover seen in the Creed III trailer, Donnie is actually retired. He has transitioned to dominant roles “outside the ring” in ownership and management. There are questions about Donnie’s fighting state and capabilities; a worrying sequence shows him slowly clenching his right fist like he’s an old man. On the bright side, Donnie has a very nice house, what appears to be a Rolls-Royce Cullinan (MSRP $320,000+), and takes pictures with Canelo Álvarez and his family at a PPV event, so things could be worse. Donnie’s family has changed too; Amara is shown jabbing a punching bag under Donnie’s watchful eye.
As Michael B. Jordan said, Donnie and Bianca are all grown up with a lot of responsibilities between the two of them. Damian will test them professionally and personally. Creed III is important because it’s the end of the beginning for Donnie and his family. The only question is whether Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky will make a surprise cameo – and if Donnie will star in some Amazon Alexa commercials.
