Creed (2015), directed by Ryan Coogler, revitalizes the Rocky saga by shifting focus to a new fighter while honoring the legacy of the past. The film introduces Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of late boxing legend Apollo Creed. Born after Apollo’s death in the ring, Adonis grows up in foster care and juvenile detention before being taken in by Apollo’s widow, Mary Anne. Despite her efforts to steer him toward a safe life, Adonis is drawn to boxing, feeling the need to prove himself not just as Apollo’s son, but as his own man.
Seeking guidance, Adonis travels to Philadelphia and tracks down the retired Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Rocky, now older and quietly running his restaurant, initially resists returning to the fight world, but Adonis’s persistence—and his resemblance to Apollo—moves him to agree. Rocky becomes Adonis’s trainer, teaching him the discipline, heart, and grit that defined his own career. Their relationship quickly deepens into a surrogate father-son bond, with Rocky filling the void Adonis has felt his whole life.
Adonis also begins a romance with Bianca, a talented musician coping with progressive hearing loss. Her presence gives him emotional support, grounding him as he faces the pressures of both boxing and identity.
Adonis’s talent soon attracts attention, and when it’s revealed publicly that he is Apollo Creed’s son, he’s offered the chance to fight “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, the reigning light heavyweight champion, who is nearing retirement. Though Adonis is inexperienced, the bout becomes a high-profile opportunity—both for him to prove himself and for Conlan to cement his own legacy.
While preparing, Adonis faces another challenge: Rocky is diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At first, Rocky refuses treatment, weary of losing loved ones after Adrian’s death. But Adonis insists that they fight their battles together, in and out of the ring. This parallel struggle—Rocky against cancer, Adonis against doubt—underscores the film’s emotional depth.
In the climactic fight, Adonis goes the distance with Conlan. Though he loses by decision, he earns the champion’s respect and the crowd’s admiration, proving he has both Creed’s blood and Rocky’s spirit. In the final moments, Adonis climbs the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art with Rocky, symbolizing his rise not only as a fighter but as a man forging his own legacy.
Creed balances thrilling boxing sequences with heartfelt drama, passing the torch from Rocky Balboa to a new generation, while exploring themes of identity, legacy, and perseverance.
