It’s official: Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut is a megahit. The acclaimed actor has been assisting in crafting the Creedverse for nearly a decade, and for the third installment, he went all out. Not only did he star in the film, but he helmed the director’s chair, which proved successful. This, of course, was also aided by costars like Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors, and their press runs have been filled with laughs and revelations.
Most recently, Jordan and Majors sat down with Complex, where they named their GOATs. From athletes to food to entertainers to—of course—rappers, the Creed III stars get real about their favorites. At one point, Majors also asked Jordan to choose between Jay-Z and Tupac Shakur. It was a decision that he struggled with. “Listen, y’all,” Jordan joked. “This ain’t cool.”
Michael B. Jordan Makes His Choices
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 27: 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 Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Majors chimed in to agree that this would be a difficult choice. Jordan further added, “They’re right there,” as he made hand motions to suggest it was a close call. Then, Jordan ignored the options at hand and answered, “Drake. Fight me.” Majors was visibly surprised—and confused. “You said Drake?!” Jordan answered, “Fight me!”
Jonathan Majors laughed at his friend and asked, “What happened to Pac?” It was a question that Jordan skipped over. “Man, consistently, for how long across genres,” Jordan seemed to say, referencing Drizzy. Jonathan still was baffled and added that Tupac’s life was cut short. This fact is why Jordan said he placed the late icon in the “untouchable” category. “Great. This is not untouchable talk,” Majors replied. “This is GOAT talk.”
Additionally, Majors chose Jay-Z as his GOAT before Jordan explained why Hov didn’t take the title. According to him, Drake pens rhymes that speak directly to things he’s experienced “consistently.” It also helps that the pair are also friends and have been spotted partying together or sitting courtside at sports events. These GOAT talks also spark a discussion, and it’s clear that this is the catalyst for the next viral conversation. Swipe above to get a better context of the discussion.
During last night’s (March 6) Indiana Pacers game against the Philadelphia 76ers, 50 Cent was having a blast with Will Ferrell. Before the game, 50 wheeled Ferrell onto the court in a go-kart.
“Big round of applause for Will Ferrell,” the announcer booms in the video, which the rapper uploaded to social media.
However, it seems that the kart was quite heavy, as 50 struggled to push it more than a little bit at a time. To borrow one of the post’s top comments, “If 50 can’t do it, then it can’t be done.”
“Ran into one of my favorite actors Will Ferrell at the game #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi,” Fif wrote in his Instagram caption. “Indiana Pacers vs 76ers first the eagles now this I’m done #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi.”
In the second clip of 50 Cent’s slideshow, he approached Ferrell and the two shared a handshake and a hug — and fans are loving it. “Will is just so damn cool,” one commented on 50’s Instagram post.
“That was so genuine. Will grabbed Fif hand like he was ready to go tell everyone “Hey everyone meet my friend Curtis!” He was too excited. Made me smile,” another added.
Ferrell had already been in Indianapolis to film a documentary, according to HipHopDX. Meanwhile, 50 Cent has a partnership with the Pacers for his alcohol company, Sire Spirits.
It’s been two and a half years since Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away. Colon cancer claimed his life, a battle he was fighting for years without anyone’s knowledge.
Through that time, and prior to his diagnosis, the legendary actor took on a few iconic roles. In terms of sheer volume of iconic and fitting characters, no actor has had more than Boseman.
On and off the screen, the Black Panther star was a legend. He inspired many in different ways and the word tragedy doesn’t begin to do his passing justice. From T’Challa to Thurgood Marshall, Boseman’s filmography is filled to the brim with incredible performances.
While his life and acting career were cut short, his filmography certainly isn’t lacking for excellence.
Chadwick Boseman acting: The best on-screen appearances for the late actor
Boseman’s first role came in All My Children in 2003. His first big role came in Persons Unknown in 2010. In 2013, the world at large was introduced to Boseman’s talents in 42, the story of the legendary Jackie Robinson.
Coincidentally, that’s still one of the actor’s best performances yet. It is a huge undertaking to play someone who lived a real life. It’s even harder to portray someone as important and legendary as Robinson.
Boseman, despite being fairly inexperienced at the time, stepped into the role with confidence and delivered an exceptional performance. The world saw the Jackie Robinson story through Robinson’s own eyes.
He instilled in his character the struggles Robinson undoubtedly went through. The anger, the frustration, the disappointment and everything the star baseball player went through was palpable on screen.
It’s very possible that he doesn’t land other iconic roles without acing Jackie Robinson, so it was a monumental film for a lot of reasons. 42was a good movie, but it almost certainly wouldn’t have been with a different actor standing in Robinson’s cleats.
Black Panther: A role Chadwick Boseman was born for
Chadwick Boseman appeared on screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. He portrayed the Black Panther and a character who was suddenly forced to lead his country after his father’s murder.
Boseman’s T’Challa was arguably the best and most interesting character in what amounted to a psuedo-Avengers film. Acting alongside Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Chris Evans and others, that’s no small feat.
He went on to star in his own film, titled after T’Challa’s alter ego the Black Panther. The film was a critical and commercial success, showing studios and audiences alike that black superheroes were not only interesting, but they were profitable, too.
Boseman played T’Challa with the regality of a lifelong monarch and inspired the world in the process. He reappeared as the character in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Endgame. It’s an absolute shame he wasn’t able to star in the sequel, though Ryan Coogler and company did a tremendous job honoring him with the movie.
His final acting credit came from the Marvel show What If…? which revisited Marvel storylines where one thing was different. Fittingly, he voiced T’Challa one more time as his final appearance on a screen.
Chadwick Boseman acting in iconic films is nothing new
If those two roles weren’t enough, Boseman also played the legendary Thurgood Marshall in Marshall from 2017. Yet another real life hero whose story was translated to the big screen with grace and passion thanks to Boseman.
In 2014, fresh off the success of 42, Chadwick Boseman once again stepped into someone’s real life shoes. He portrayed James Brown in Get On Up and received praise from critics and audiences alike.
Da 5 Bloods from Spike Lee isn’t a true story, but it’s one rooted in the reality of what happened to black soldiers in Vietnam. Boseman’s performance received praise as they usually do.
In his final live action role, Boseman graced the screen for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a role he was nominated for Best Actor for. He ultimately lost the posthumous award to Anthony Hopkins.
Boseman also appeared in movies such as 21 Bridges, Message from the King, Gods of Egypt and Draft Day. His filmography is admittedly small, undoubtedly missing more iconic roles he would have suited up for had he not passed away.
It’s sad to think about what roles he might have landed and what movies he would have improved with his presence.
However, what it lacks in size it makes up for in power. These roles are a lifetime’s worth of legendary characters and Boseman was able to portray them all in a 10-year run.
Chadwick Boseman acting will be remembered forever. This is partially due to his tragic passing, but mostly due to the fact that he played iconic roles with perfection. What’s perhaps even more impressive is that as great as he was on-screen, he was just as good if not better off of it.
Considering all of the unnecessary controversy that followed the announcement of Halle Bailey‘s titular role in The Little Mermaid, wholesome content has been needed. Luckily, that arrived just today, March 6, when the singer and actress shared exciting news.
She took to Twitter to show that she has her own Ariel doll. “OMG the little girl in me is pinching herself right now,” she wrote. “I have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll !!! I can’t believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character brb gonna go cry now …” In the video, she has a bright smile as she holds up the doll.
“This is the new Little Mermaid doll,” she says. “I am literally choking up because this means so much to me. To have one that looks like me — that’s my favorite Disney character — is very surreal.”
omg the little girl in me is pinching herself right now ..i have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll !!! I can’t believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character brb gonna go cry now … pic.twitter.com/NKn0H0mssT
Fans are speculating that Beyonce was present as she took the video because of a voice off-camera saying, “I want one!” Plus, a comment from her cousin Angie Beyince reads: “I’m with [bee emoji]. I want 1!”
There was no mention of whether or not the doll would be available for purchase, but we shouldn’t be surprised if it goes on sale. Meanwhile, The Little Mermaid arrives in theaters on May 26.
Our girl is shaking things up as she’s moving forward with her film career, and it’s Chlöe’s time to shine. The multihyphenate entertainer warmed our hearts as one of the dynamic duo Chloe x Halle, and the ladies extended their talents as stars of Grown-ish. Chlöe has also been storming the charts as a solo artist while her sister prepares for the unveiling of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey stars in the live-action remake as the lead role of Ariel.
Meanwhile, Chlöe has been a busy bee. Today (March 6), the songbird shared a teaser for her upcoming comedy film, Praise This. The feature also stars the likes of Quavo, Druski, Tristan Wilds, and more. The storyline follows the competitive world of youth choirs looking to be respected as power vocalists who outsing the competition. This first trailer gives insight into Chlöe’s character, as the actress tackles the lead.
Chlöe Flexes Her Gospel Skills In ‘Praise This’
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 01: Chlöe attends 2023 Billboard Women In Music at YouTube Theater on March 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/WireImage,)
Chlöe portrays Sam, a woman from Los Angeles visiting her family. She’s thrust into church life, and because she’s a singer, she begins attending rehearsals with her relative’s youth choir. However, she clashes with the choir director, who doesn’t want Sam to overstep her boundaries. The choir prides itself on remaining traditional in a world where its counterparts lean toward a modern edge. Sam steps in to help them, and it all unfolds hilariously—especially Druski.
This isn’t the only production Chlöe has on the horizon; she also stars in Swarm, Donald Glover’s upcoming series. The Atlanta star previously shared that Swarm was inspired by the BeyHive and similar fanbases that go to extremes for the artists they adore. Chlöe holds a supporting role in the show, and her efforts have been applauded by those who have already received a look at the final takes.
More To Come In 2023
Last year, Chlöe spoke with Hot 97 about working with a stellar cast in Praise This. “I’ve had the blessing to be a part of really great projects that I’m passionate about, and have incredible cast (mates) as well,” she said. Check out the trailer for Praise This above. The film hits theaters on April 7.
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.”
In recent years, Disney has been furiously announcing and releasing live-action remakes of animated classics, even opting to modernize some of them with more diverse casting choices. 2020 brought about Mulan, and the following two years gave us both Cruella and Pinocchio. Up next on the list are fan favourites such as Peter Pan & Wendy, and The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey in the leading role.
While Ariel is traditionally depicted as a fair-skinned, blue-eyed mermaid with bright red hair, producers are switching things up this time around. The R&B songstress, who’s best known for her vocal talents, perfectly captures the character’s singing voice, and she held on to some of the original’s appearance by colouring her long, wavy locs a ginger colour. As the movie’s May 26th premiere date nears, Bailey’s excitement is growing more and more.
In her most recent Instagram upload, she gets emotional while revealing The Little Mermaid doll designed to look like her. “This means so much to me and to have one that looks like me, that’s my favourite Disney character, is very surreal,” the 22-year-old gushed to the camera on Monday (March 6). “The little girl in me is pinching herself right now.”
The emotion was evident in Bailey’s face and voice as she spoke. “I am literally choking up because this means so much to me,” the actress said. “And look – she even has my mole! Look! And the hair, and the tail… And it can be in water!” she excitedly added. “I’m just stunned, so I don’t quite know what to do with it but I’m going to steal this and take it home and hide it forever.”
Disney Faces Racist Backlash
Halle Bailey attends D23 Expo 2022 at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on September 09, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Halle Bailey’s excitement and happiness are shining so bright that it’s hard to dim, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t those out there trying. The Atlanta native has heard constant criticism from racists upset with Disney’s decision to cast Ariel as a Black woman, not to mention the complaints about Peter Pan & Wendy. Another young woman of colour, Yara Shadidi, is facing similar backlash for accepting the role of Tinkerbell, who’s also usually white. Read what Twitter has been saying about that here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
While plenty of attention has been rightly heaped upon Halle Bailey for her role in the upcoming Little Mermaid remake lately, her sister Chlöe is also building her filmography — albeit, via some lower-profile releases. One of those releases is Praise This, a musical comedy coming to Peacock in April. Chlöe just shared the first trailer for the film on social media, and it looks like the perfect vehicle to show off her acting and singing chops at the same time.
According to Deadline, its studio, Universal Pictures, is apparently hoping for Pitch Perfect-esque franchise potential, and judging from the trailer, it certainly appears that the acapella comedy’s DNA is part of the genetic makeup of Praise This, along with a dash of Chlöe’s mentor Beyoncé’s own gospel-based musical comedy, Fighting Temptation.
Per Collider, Bailey will portray Sam, an aspiring singer who gets shipped off to Atlanta to live with her cousin Jess, played by Anjelika Washington. There, she joins Jess’s praise team as they prepare for a singing competition. The cast also includes comedian Druski and The Wire alum Tristan “Mack” Wilds. There’s also a cameo appearance by Quavo.
Praise This is coming to Peacock on April 7, 2023. You can watch the trailer above.
Keke Palmer, 29, the triple threat can now add mom to her many roles, as her acting and singing have already made her a standout both in life and on screen. Making her debut in the 2004 film Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Palmer quickly became likable from her honest and kind demeanor, making her a favored co-star to want to be around.
Keke Palmer Debuted As An Actress And Singer
Making a transition to television in the same year of her movie debut, Palmer ultimately went on to star in multiple Nickelodeon series like True Jackson, VP and Winx Club. When she displayed how raw her skill was at such a young age, Palmer continued to succeed in the industry with more serious roles that would later catapult her into the respected actress she is today. Starring in films like Akeelah and the Bee, Madea’s Family Reunion, Jump In!, and The Longshots, Palmer has spent most of her life in the film world.
When her adult life came around, so did the adult roles. No age could define Palmer on screen, as her ability has transcended into one of the greats. Taking on roles next to Tyler Perry, Queen Latifah, Whoopie Goldberg, Julia Stiles and Ice Cube, Palmer was able to gain versatile parts in films like Alice, Hustlers, and Nope. Palmer has also been a voice over actress in films like Lightyear, Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare, and multiple movies from the Ice Age franchise. Displaying even more skill, Palmer has taken her career a step further into the musical world with a 2014 role as the first African American Princess to star in a title role as Cinderella on Broadway. With Rolling Stonescalling her assertive and confident with a “biting sense of humor,” Palmer stays contributing her love for acting in every role she is given.
Palmer Explains Her Love for Her Career
Keke Palmer interviews for Bustle wearing a Gucci gown and Cosabella bra.
In an effortless steez, Palmer epitomizes true passion behind the screen saying, “I can’t even tell anyone how it feels when I’m acting, I don’t mean to say that I don’t have to try. But there’s something in my heart that explodes, and I feel like I understand. When I’m acting, I feel like so in control and so centered. This is something that I solely get from acting and music.”
Not only has Palmer paved her own way as an actress, but she has also grounded herself as a singer and songwriter. Her 2007 debut album So Uncool charted on Billboard’s Top R&B & HipHop Albums list and was released under her contract with Atlantic Records. Palmer explains her love for music with, “Whether it be in acting, music, or even in dancing, I only want to do things that I truly connect to, and with my music, it’s everything that I am.” Though she’s now signed to Island Records, Palmer has released albums Virgo Tendencies, Pt. 1, and Virgo Tendencies, Pr. 2 along with multiple singles over the course of the previous years.
Palmer Meets Longtime Boyfriend at Diddy’s Memorial Day Party in 2021
Keke Palmer shares her and boyfriend Darius Jackson’s first experiences with son Leo.
Palmer started dating boyfriend, Darius Jackson, 29, after meeting at Rae and Diddy’s Memorial Day Party in 2021. Keeping their relationship private for only a few months, the couple have remained close since their first encounter. Telling Bustle in an interview, Palmer says, “This is the happiest I’ve ever felt with someone. So why would I go out of my way to hide this person? That’s a lot more work than just living in my life and being in my life. You know what I’m saying?”
Being in the entertainment industry as well, Jackson is both an actor and fitness trainer. Attending Fresno State University on a football scholarship, Jackson continued in the footsteps of his older brother Saranus Jackson who played sports before launching his acting career in 2017 in the series Insecure. Though he hasn’t much acting fame, Jackson can be linked to the upcoming sci-fi film Dawn of the Predator as Agent Mayo. In the film, a group of agents are deployed to a robot-controlled territory, and upon their attempt to retrieve technology from an alien crash, they are faced with war against the aliens.
Though acting and singing may have been the prevalence of Palmer’s whole life, her newest role as ‘mom’ may be her most important one yet. Palmer gave birth on February 25, 2023 to a healthy baby boy, Leodis Andrellton Jackson. Though it’s a first time being a parent for Palmer, she stays happily grateful for her experience, taking to social media to say, “”Hey Son!!!! Born during Black History Month, with a name to match! LEODIS ANDRELLTON JACKSON, welcome to the world baby Leo.”
Keke Palmer Has Ideas for the Future of Her Career
Keke Palmer gets candidly cheeky about how to solve Bustle’s interview questions.
Though Palmer is most focused on being a new mom with her longtime boyfriend, Jackson, she still has her eyes set on new horizons after earning a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host for her appearance alongside Michael Strahan on Strahan, Sara, and Keke from 2019-2020. Palmer told Bustle she envisions herself giving back to her community in the near future by interning a plethora of young black adults for the directing and producing of filmssaying, “I imagine myself directing movies and producing films and having a bunch of different interns that are just in college.”
Continuing, “Young, black kids that are learning how to be a grip, that are learning how to be a DP, that are learning how to work in production, or as a designer, or people that are learning how to be a teamster, I really want to educate the young kids on the fact that you don’t just have to work in Hollywood as a performer, or as a writer, or as a director — your ass could be a crafty.”
With 20 years in the industry, Palmer has exhibited the essence of a true star. In following her own advice, “You can do anything as long as you don’t stop believing. When it is meant to be, it will be. You just have to follow your heart,” Palmer continues to thrive as a new mom still wanting to work, as her love for acting and singing is endless.
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.
the little girl in me is pinching herself right now,” she wrote. “I have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll !!! I can’t believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character 
brb gonna go cry now …” In the video, she has a bright smile as she holds up the doll. 
(@jayzswife) 
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