Even retirement couldn’t stop Rocky from dusting off his boxing gloves for Creed, who witnessed Balboa take on the role of mentor to his former foe Apollo Creed’s son. Rocky Balboa has enthralled audiences, and now Stallone has said that Creed 2 will be Rocky’s final film. In many ways, the film serves as a suitable conclusion for Rocky, but as history has often demonstrated, he may still have another round in him.
Rocky’s Contribution To The Creed Series
Creed is a film that has no right to be as successful as it is. Rocky’s role in Creed has a lovely symmetry to it, with spectators having followed him from a youthful underdog in the first film to a retired legend-turned-teacher in the sequel. The importance of the character’s past is crucial to the plot, and there’s also the tense relationship between Rocky and Adonis. On the one hand, it’s paternal. That subtext runs throughout both Creed films, but the friendship between the two leads to a lot of the action.
Why Does Creed 2 Work As Rocky’s Final Chapter?
Rocky tries to summon the courage to contact his estranged son, Robert Jr., throughout Creed 2. Rocky’s final scene sees him reunite with Robert – played by Rocky Balboa’s Milo Ventimiglia – and meet his grandson for the first time. It’s an emotionally charged sequence that works perfectly as a conclusion for the character, who has finally found peace after putting the past behind him.
Rocky has previously “retired.”
Following the release of Creed 2, Stallone announced that he would be retiring from the role of Rocky Balboa. While Rocky’s involvement in the plot supports this viewpoint, this isn’t the first time he’s told the character he needs to grow up. He originally wanted to end the series with Rocky III because he believed it would be a nice little trilogy, but he changed his mind after the film became a tremendous smash. Instead, he declared that Rocky V would be the final instalment, despite the fact that the original script had Rocky dying in a street brawl with ex-protégé Tommy Gunn. This was the original concept well into production, but both Stallone and the studio changed their minds, with Stallone believing Rocky’s death went against the series’ basic principles.
The Director’s Cut of Rocky 4 Shows That Stallone Isn’t Done With The Character.
Sylvester Stallone may claim that he is finished playing Rocky Balboa, but it hasn’t prevented him from adding to the character’s legacy. Stallone finished work on a director’s cut of Rocky 4 in 2021, which includes a lot of new footage, removes other parts, and appears to be a significantly different film overall. Given that Rocky 4 is one of the most beloved films in the franchise, Stallone’s decision to drastically modify it is a daring move that demonstrates his dissatisfaction with his cinematic reputation as Rocky Balboa.
Why Will Sylvester Stallone (Almost Certainly) Return For Creed 3?
While Creed 2 attempts to detach itself from the past and declares that Creed 3 will tread new ground, it’s difficult to rule out the possibility that Stallone will be involved in some way. In more ways than one, he’s the series’ author, and whether he’s a producer or contributes to the writing, Rocky’s presence is inescapable. Adonis and Rocky are intrinsically intertwined, and it’s difficult to imagine a circumstance in which Donnie needs advice or assistance – whether in boxing or as a new parent – and doesn’t seek it from his mentor/father figure. Rocky will most likely make a cameo appearance next time, showing up during a few pivotal occasions, rather than being a supporting character. Creed is Michael B. Jordan’s franchise, and Stallone is wise – and humble – enough to acknowledge it, but if history is any indication, Rocky’s time in the ring hasn’t yet over.
