History has been made after Creed III‘s monumental opening weekend, and much of it is thanks to Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson. It’s reported that Creed III raked in $100 million in its first few days, and we’re sure the cast is somewhere celebrating. In the film, Thompson’s character, Bianca, presses Jordan’s character about going to therapy to work out his issues. The actress told Refinery29 that the two stars stretched their acting chops and attended real-life therapy—in character.
“It’s like a full PSA for therapy [laughs],” said Thompson. She detailed Bianca’s evolution and stepping into a softer side when she entered motherhood. “And finally, Mike and I actually went to therapy together. We did couples therapy.” The interviewer was surprised at the revelation and asked if they answered questions as their characters. “Yes, in character, but it ended up being like — the line sometimes between character and us get blurred because we bring so much of what we’re exploring personally to the characters in general.”
Digging Into A Character’s Issues
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 15: Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson attend the “Creed III” European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on February 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
For a moment, Thompson thought she might have been telling too many details. Still, she continued. “I’ll say it was an early experience in couples therapy for us both [personally], but it was as these characters, which is very weird. But I think it reminded us of our own personal lives that going to therapy, even when a relationship is good, can be a good thing if you’re trying to just sharpen communication and figure out how someone works. It’s useful in so many relationships.”
Thompson explained that although they attacked the therapy session as Bianca and Adonis, she and Jordan “were also reflecting on our own relationships.” The costars have been creating hit films in the Creedverse for almost a decade, and they’ve grown as individuals as well as performers. “We’ve seen each other through various stages in our own romantic things,” she said. “So, we know stuff about each other’s lives. We shared and talked about it. So, therapy ended up starting at work and getting more personal.”
She added, “Also, it was a chance for us to really talk to a couples therapist and understand what are some of the things young parents who are trying to balance their own dreams and aspirations? What are the themes that you see?” Also, “What are the things they might be up against? What might be their impediments to happiness or success as a couple? That was really fascinating also to hear from her and bring that into the stew.”
Creed III has officially racked in over $100M at the box office, making history since its release to theaters. The news is also a huge win for Michael B. Jordan, who also made his directorial debut in the groundbreaking film. Updated By: Kendall Parks (3/6/23 at 3:54 pm) After recently being honored with a star […]
It’s this Creed III quote that resonates with audiences after the film has ended. The quote is a bit of a throwaway line for antagonist Damian Anderson, but it holds a special meaning to those who worked on the film.
Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III. He joins a long list of actor-directors while trying to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with behind and not just in front of the camera (spoilers for the Rocky and Creed franchise ahead).
Anderson spent time locked away in prison after trying to help Adonis Creed. The former pulled out a gun on someone when the latter started a fight with them. Now that he’s free, he’s eager to prove that he is the champion he was on track to be.
That’s when he drops the line to Creed. He wants to be the champ, and even if he’s got a late start, it’s better than no start. That clearly refers to Anderson’s fictional situation, but also mirrors Jordan’s own real-life situation.
Jordan’s directing was a long time coming
Jordan joined the Creed franchise as an actor in 2015 with Ryan Coogler’s Rocky soft reboot. Eight years later, Jordan is in the director’s chair for Creed 3 (Creed III). It’s the first time the Black Panther star has sat in that seat, but it’s hardly noticeable.
The actor’s directorial debut comes 22 years after he debuted as a child actor in Hardball. Nevertheless, Oscar-winning directors gotta start somewhere, right?
The film stars up and coming Jonathan Majors opposite Jordan, as well as Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Wood Harris, but it’s Jordan who shines on and off camera.
Creed III sees the newly retired Adonis Creed enjoying his time off. He’s a loving husband to his artist-turned producer wife, Bianca, and a doting father to his deaf daughter, Amara.
He also runs the gym with his former trainer and partner, Little Duke. They work to shape the next generation of boxers and are promoting a fight between their world champion and Viktor Drago, the antagonist from 2018’s Creed 2.
When Anderson returns and tells Creed what he wants, there’s not much opportunity for it. That is, until Drago befalls an injury and the title bout is now missing a contender.
Enter Anderson, whose nickname was “Diamond Dame”, who shows his true colors by boxing as dirty as possible and defeating the world champion, Felix Chavez.
Anderson used a prison-defined body and clever tricks to get the best of Chavez and become the world’s champion, but it’s Creed that he really wants.
The two, who have a lot of anger and guilt over what transpired in the past and their lives after Anderson went into prison, agree to fight it out despite Rocky’s former protege having been retired for three years.
Michael B. Jordan shines as a new director
Michael B. Jordan stepped into the director’s chair with the confidence his character showed in his opening fight against Chavez. Creed was in control the entire time and it showed. Behind the camera, Jordan was in control the entire time.
Jordan’s style and flair bleed into this movie. It’s the most stylish boxing movie perhaps of all time. It’s also easily the most fun film to look at in the Rocky franchise.
Speaking of Rocky Balboa, Jordan took on an unenviable task of crafting the first Rocky film without its first star- the Italian Stallion himself. Stallone stepped away because of grievances with producer Irwin Winkler. That could have left a major hole in the movie.
Jordan ensured that hole was never felt. In fact, he went so far as to make this the only movie since the original that could stand alone. Yes, it flows out of the first two Creed movies and the previous six Rocky films, but it’s as accessible as the original.
The style and flair that Jordan displays in his first ever film are never more present than in the final fight. This is the most personal fight in the entire franchise. It may only rivaled by Rocky’s revenge bout against Ivan Drago for killing Adonis Creed’s father (major spoilers ahead) in Rocky IV.
As a result, Jordan made the unique decision to strip everything away. Boxing has always drawn big crowds, but for Anderson and Creed, it was just the two of them.
Jordan showed that visually by putting them in an almost colorless arena with no fans. There was no noise except for the grunts and hits each boxer landed. It perfectly showcased what this fight meant.
At a certain points, the wall of the ring turned into a prison cage like the one Anderson spent 18 years in. Another turned into the walls of the abusive group home the two spent years in.
Creed III was inspired by anime
Jordan discussed this decision with the New York Times, saying that he felt like the void was a perfect visual storytelling medium.
“Back when we would go through our first choreo, every punch would be a line: ‘What are we saying in this fight?’ That idea always stuck with me, and I just put that on steroids and infused it with anime. There was even a moment where I put subtitles in the void.”
Michael B. Jordan via The New York Times
He ultimately decided against the subtitles bit, feeling that it would be too difficult for the audience.
“Yeah, there was no sound: It was completely silent and just subtitles. I was like, ‘All right, that’s my artistic side coming out too strong! I got to remember what kind of movie I’m making, that invisible contract that I signed with the audience.’ I watched anime all my life, so I could watch and read subtitles at the same time, but a lot of people can’t do that.”
Creed III is not a perfect film. It is arguably the best in the trilogy and could rival the original as someone’s favorite, though. There are a lot of factors to that (such as Jonathan Majors giving yet another unbelievable performance), but Jordan’s leadership guided this film to an excellent place.
Majors imbues his character with a palpable rage. The audience can feel the anger at being locked up for trying to save Creed while Creed ran and escaped any punishment.
For his credit, this is probably Jordan’s best outing as Adonis Creed. The audience feels his emotions with him. The guilt he carries over what happened with Anderson comes right through the screen.
The two give performances as strong as their in-universe characters are. That, combined with excellent directing, makes for what will undoubtedly hold up as one of 2023’s best releases. That’s high praise for a movie released with almost nine full months remaining in the calendar year.
Given that this movie isn’t Oscar-bait in any way, it would be a surprise to see a Best Supporting Actor nomination thrown to Majors or a Best Director nomination for Jordan. However, they’re both worthy of unending praise.
Some actors that move into directing don’t do much. They might direct a film or two, but most remain actors. Jordan mentioned to the New York Times that he had projects in the pipeline (that he wanted Majors to join him in), so he’s absolutely going to be a director to watch in the future.
Unfortunately, he set the bar so high with Creed III. It’s hard to envision him topping it. He probably welcomes the challenge, and the audience is absolutely looking forward to it.
Creed III had the biggest box office opening for a sports film of all time after earning an estimated $58.7 million domestically. The movie pulled in another $41.8 million overseas bringing its total above $100 million worldwide. Studios projected the latest installment in the Creed franchise to bring in just $30 million. The hot start puts it on pace to surpass the previous two entries in the series. Creed earned $109.8 million while Creed II brought in $115.7 million.
“This is beyond all of our expectations. And we knew that we had something special — we tested the movie and it tested great, but the public responded so resoundingly to it,” Erik Lomis, MGM’s head of distribution, told the Associated Press. “Everything went right here starting with the movie itself … It was just up to us not to break it when they gave it to us and we didn’t.”
The Cast Of “Creed III”
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 27: (L-R) Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson, Mila Davis-Kent and Michael B. Jordan attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of “CREED III” at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 27, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Creed III follows Michael B. Jordan’s titular character as he’s thriving in his career and family life until the return of Damian, a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy. Damian is played by Jonathan Majors, who explained why he chose the part during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. “The thing that got my attention was how he [Jordan] was pitching it, with so much passion and clarity, and that this would be a character coming in who we’ve not seen before,” Majors said. “I thought it was a huge opportunity to join the franchise, and also to work alongside Michael and learn everything he’s experienced in his twenty-plus years of working in this industry.”
The film is also Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut as well as the first film in the franchise that doesn’t star Sylvester Stallone. The legendary Rocky actor is still credited as a producer on the project as is the first film’s director, Ryan Coogler. It also stars Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, and more. The film was boosted by a soundtrack from Dreamville as well.
Being famous certainly isn’t easy – Michael B. Jordan has been reminded of that consistently throughout the Creed III press tour. Prior to his directorial debut’s theatre release on Friday (March 3), the California-born actor was spending plenty of time in interviews and on the red carpet posing for photos. Additionally, his NSFW Calvin Klein photoshoot surfaced online last week, drawing even more attention his way as his body was on full display in the brand’s underwear.
The most recent MBJ moment to cause a stir online was shared by @theshaderoom on Instagram earlier this weekend. In a clip, the 36-year-old addresses an obviously overzealous fan begging him to take a selfie, remaining as calm as possible under what was clearly a tense situation. Thankfully, security was there to place themselves between Jordan and the eager follower, giving him a barrier to allow communication.
“Talk to me. I’m a person. I’m a person,” the Black Panther star tells them. “Can I take a selfie with you? Can I take a selfie with you?” the obviously enthused fan asks Jordan. “I got you. I’m gonna take a selfie with you,” he then promises, noting that he’s “not going nowhere” so there’s really no need to get so worked up. As they continue to struggle to find their composure, he urges them “Breathe, breathe.”
At this point, the fan hits the entertainer with another inquiry about taking a photo together. “I said yes!” he responds, agitation becoming evident in his tone. “I’m gonna take a selfie with you. I’m gonna sign the photos. Just calm down.” It remains unclear exactly what happens after the cameras stopped recording, and Jordan has yet to address the moment himself on social media. In the comments, many are pointing out that he’s been consistently stressed out with similar situations over the past few weeks.
Creed III‘s Chaotic Press Tour
Jonathan Majors and Michael B. Jordan attend the Los Angeles Premiere of “CREED III” at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 27, 2023, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
Elsewhere on the Creed III press tour, Jordan was speaking with Lore’l of The Morning Hustle when he called her out for previously dubbing him “corny” on air. As it turns out, her cohost was actually the one to give the Marvel star the label. In the time since, many other entertainers have spoken on the situation, including Joe Budden, who didn’t have many kind words to say about his fellow celebrity.
In lighter news, MBJ and his costar, Jonathan Majors, went viral on Twitter after they were caught checking out an interviewer’s behind. Social media users have been expressing envy that it wasn’t them breaking the heartthrobs’ necks while getting plenty of laughs out of the hilarious moment. Read all about it here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
Actor Michael B. Jordan, 36, previously linked to model and entrepreneur Lori Harvey, 26, may be newly single, but that doesn’t stop him from getting to work. Best known for his performances in movies like Without Remorse, Creed, Black Panther, and Fruitvale Station, Jordan shows a versatile acting range with his ability to transform from boxing champ mentored by Rocky Balboa to human torch in Marvel’s, Fantastic Four to the oppressed family man in the true story about a thoughtful and hardworking man facing tragedy amid an an unlawful arrest. Though an act, thoughtful and hardworking seem to describe Jordan to a tee.
Michael B. Jordan’s Relationship With Socialite Lori Harvey
(L-R) Michael B. Jordan and Lori Harvey attend the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic)
Once Michael B. Jordan and Harvey split from longtime and very public relationship in 2022. Jordan exemplified himself as a true gentleman by saying nothing but good things about socialite ex, Harvey. He’s remaining positive about his future relationships stating on SNL, “Now, most people after a breakup are like, ‘I’m gonna get in better shape.’ But, I was already in Creed shape! So, I had to be like, ‘Alright, I guess I’ll learn a new language.’ Anyway, estoy en Raya.” Meaning he’s joined the elite dating app, Raya in hopes of finding love. Harvey, previously linked to rapper Future, 39 in 2019, is now dating actor Damson Irdis, 31.
Though Jordan remains single, he is still hard at work. Not only does Jordan dedicate his time to changing his physique for his demanding roles like Creed I, II, and III, he was also named one ofTIME’s 2020 100 Most Influential Peoplein the World for his charity and volunteer work. He donated customized sneakers to the largest African American women and girl’s nonprofit in the US, GirlTrek.
New York Times Ranks Jordan as 15th Greatest Actor of the 21st Century
Michael B. Jordan speaks onstage during the Creed III Launch. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Ralph Lauren)
With his personal life and charitable work to the side, Jordan focuses mostly on his new role as both director and producer to his upcoming movies, Creed III and I Am Legend 2. Not only that, but Jordan will be taking on roles in both movies. It’s no wonder New York Timesranked Jordan as the 15th greatestactor in the 21st century. He shows true skill while personifying his demandingly gripping roles which take leadership, strength, emotional depth, and physical endurance, all while taking the lead behind the camera as well.
For his role in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, Jordan talks about how the character-work while developing his role for lethal US Navy Seal, John Kelly who was seeking revenge from Russian hitmen in the killing of his pregnant wife and unit members, was something that resonated with him on a personal level. He says it wasn’t only the necessary endurance for the role that made him train harder, but the story itself. Jordan also states that getting through the second half of the set was difficult, as the training was strenuous. But, he made it work.
For his role in the Creed trilogy, Jordan had to train harder than ever before, Mentored in the movie by none other than Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, for his role as boxing champion Adonis, Jordan had to dedicate all day to training, yet again. Jordan’s character in Creed faces both wins and losses as he battles in both the ring and his life. Being the son of the late heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, Adonis has to prove himself as a boxer to not be taken lightly. As the franchise has three separate films, Jordan has had to not only stay in training mode for multiple years, but stay mentally focused as well.
He’s Apart Of The Marvel Movie Franchise
Jordan’s next standout role was his act as antagonist in the Black Panther. Here, Jordan played an American blackmercenary operative who challenged T’Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman. His character battled for the revenge of his father who was murdered by T’Challa’s father, the black panther. T’Challa accepts Jordan’s character, Erik Killmonger, aka N’Jadaka, request to avenge his late father. The two go on to battle in another film where Jordan had to again rigorously train his physical body forthe role.
Michael B. Jordan’s role in the true story of a young black man, Oscar Grant, murdered by a police officer on duty at a train station in Oakland, CA., was yet another standout role where he embodied a strong man who upon being cornered to his demise, held his dignity to the very end. Winning multiple awards at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for its clutching dramatics of an innocent man, Fruitvale Station was a role where Jordan had to develop a deep character portrayal of a father, loyal friend, and grocery store worker.
In the film, Grant, upon a ride on the train one morning, was caught up in a bust. He was taken aside by police, and in an effort to first suffocate Grant, an Officer stands off and pulls his trigger. The officer proceeds to cuff Grant after shooting him on his backside, ending in Grant’s unlawful death.
Michael B. Jordan’s Favorite Roles
Though Jordan played many iconic roles, he says that playing Vince in Friday Night Lights was fun to take on. He had never played organized football and enjoyed the first role where he had to physically prepare himself. Jordan also says his role as Adonis in Creed was a good learning experience. He had to train 2-3X a day 6x a week for over a year with a strict diet.
To no surprise, Jordan’s acting roles have led him to more than just accolades and awards. He’s trained his body so hard that People Magazine named him as 2020’s Sexiest Man Alive. With Creed III released, Jordan can be found preparing for interviews regarding his exemplary acting and directorship of the movie. As for Jordan’s next role after Creed III, he will be starring alongside Will Smith in I Am Legend 2. Also producing the film, we should expect a very focused Jordan as the next year unfolds.
Two of the biggest names in Hollywood at the moment are Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors, mostly due to the arrival of their highly anticipated movie, Creed III. The former is both directing and starring in the film alongside his friend, meaning they’ve been spending plenty of time on the press circuit together. Unfortunately for both actors, they’ve been facing unflattering comments about them in the news, specifically about being “corny.”
During the red carpet premiere of his directorial debut, Jordan took a moment to chat with Lore’l from The Morning Hustle. The pair formerly went to middle school together, and during a past episode, the media personality and her co-host discussed this point in her life. At the time, a quip was made about the Black Panther star being “corny,” which he obviously took to heart as he brought them up to Lore’l during their interview.
Creed is Here
She’s since confirmed that she wasn’t the one to describe the California native using that phrase. She also compared him publicly (and incorrectly) calling her out to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Jordan on the other hand seems to have happily moved on with his life, sitting down for much more pleasant conversations with Majors and other journalists.
While chatting with Pay Or Wait personality, Sharronda Williams, the costars candidly spoke about their excitement surrounding Creed III. Movie lovers were happy to hear more about the film, but some super sleuths couldn’t help but notice that the cameras obviously caught both Jordan and Majors checking out the interviewer’s behind as she walked away from their chairs. In the hours since, the clip has been going viral, earning hundreds of hilarious reactions online.
Twitter Reacts to Jordan and Majors’ Wandering Eyes
Jonathan Majors and Michael B. Jordan attend the Los Angeles premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Devotion” at Regency Village Theatre on November 15, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“At least Michael B. Jordan attempted to be subtle. Jonathan turned his whole damn head!” one user joked, calling out the 33-year-old for nearly breaking his neck over Williams. “They Beating The White Women Allegations,” someone else wrote, referring to past speculation about Jordan’s preference for fair-skinned women. Keep scrolling to laugh out loud over Twitter’s reactions, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
With Creed III hitting theatres today (March 3), Dreamville has finally released the long-awaited soundtrack to the movie. Creed III: The Soundtrack is an 18-track album that takes listeners through a raw journey of wide-ranging emotions, likely combining perfectly with the contemplative build-up of scenes expected in this sports drama. Now available to stream, this soundtrack hasn’t failed to live up to its hype, so be sure to check it out.
Featured in the soundtrack is a hot list of Dreamville Record’s musical talent, including Big Sean, Kehlani, and Bas. The label’s co-founder, J. Cole, also hosts his own song for the movie, titled “Adonis Interlude (The Montage).” In all, nearly 30 artists have contributed to this work of art.
“Creed III: The Soundtrack” Is Available To Stream Now
The anticipation behind this iconic collaboration between Dreamville and Michael B. Jordan’s movie has been brewing since ComplexCon 2022. Jordan spoke at the event, noting that he was “probably gonna get in trouble” for dishing out the movie’s secret. The label teased the soundtrack just a month ago with the enthusiastically-met release of JID and Lute’s “Ma Boy.”
Dreamville was accompanied by Proximity Media, Outlier Society, and Frank Brim for the execution of this project. In a press release, the goal of the soundtrack was noted as “to create a musical experience that fit not just the film’s needs but one that will be celebrated as its own piece of art—inspired by both the film and the coming together of various artists on a soundtrack that matches the film’s acclaim and impact on community and culture.” For more news on hip-hop and pop culture, be sure to check out HNHH.
Creed III: The Soundtrack Tracklist:
Culture – Mez, Reason, Symba, and 8AE
Ma Boy – JID & Lute
Anthem (Soundtrack Version) – Big Sean and EST Gee
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