Here’s Who’s Directing ‘Creed 2’ Instead of Sylvester Stallone or Ryan Coogler

Production on 'Creed 2' begins Spring 2018.

Steven Caple Jr.
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Image via Getty/Paul Archuleta

Steven Caple Jr.

It was obvious after seeing Michael B. Jordan assume the mantle of Adonis Creed, son of famed boxer Apollo Creed, in 2015's acclaimed Creed that there had to be a sequel. There's been talk about where the franchise would be going, and today it feels like we're actually getting somewhere, as the project has found its new director.

Taking over the series' mantle from Ryan Coogler (who's about to shake the world with his Marvel film Black Panther in February 2018) is Steven Caple Jr., directing his big movie. (Sylvester Stallone announced in October he would be directing, assuming the job for the fifth time in the Rocky series. Something obviously changed quickly.) Many should remember Caple from directing The Land, a 2016 indie feature he wrote and directed, with Nas producing. Reports say the film impressed Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. 

Jordan is set to reprise the role of Creed, and Tessa Thompson is back as his girlfriend, Bianca. There's talk that the plot will center on Ivan Drago, the Russian brute who murdered Creed's father in Rocky IV. As of now, there's no word on if Dolph Lundgren will be returning as the iconic villain, or if it will be focused more on Drago's son facing Creed.

There's also no confirmation on what Stallone's character Rocky Balboa will be doing in the film, although he told TMZ that he would be fighting Ivan Drago in Creed 2, saying "you know I gotta hit Drago once." In Creed, Stallone was a mentor and cornerman for Creed, and one has to imagine he'd be a guiding light for the younger Creed.

Variety does report that Stallone and Cheo Hodari Coker (the legendary scribe who worked as showrunner on Marvel's Luke Cage) are handling script duties; Stallone solo-wrote all six Rocky films until Creed, by Coogler and Aaron Covington. Production is set to begin in March of 2018 in Philly, with Creed 2 premiering on Nov. 21, 2018.

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