A stirring, crowd-pleasing sports drama that refreshes a classic franchise with real emotional weight, strong performances, and electrifying fight direction. It works both as a legacy sequel and as a coming-of-age story about identity, inheritance, and earning your own name.
Creed
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Drama
Wed · 2h 13m
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Overview
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
Director
Ryan Coogler
Cast
Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Curator Review
Verdict
A stirring, crowd-pleasing sports drama that refreshes a classic franchise with real emotional weight, strong performances, and electrifying fight direction. It works both as a legacy sequel and as a coming-of-age story about identity, inheritance, and earning your own name.
Best for
Viewers who like inspirational underdog stories with real grit
Fans of legacy sequels that honor the past without feeling stale
People who want a sports movie with strong character drama
Audiences drawn to emotionally charged mentor-protégé dynamics
Skip if
You want a purely original story with no franchise baggage
You dislike boxing movies or sports-movie melodrama
You prefer low-key dramas over rousing, crowd-pleasing builds
You are looking for something more cynical or formally experimental
Overview
Creed is one of the rare franchise revivals that feels emotionally necessary. It understands the appeal of Rocky, but it never treats nostalgia as the point; the movie is really about Adonis trying to define himself while carrying a name that opens doors and creates pressure in equal measure.
Worth noting
Ryan Coogler stages the boxing with urgency and clarity, but the film’s strongest punches are emotional. Michael B. Jordan gives Adonis a mix of pride, vulnerability, and restlessness, while Sylvester Stallone finds a deeply humane late-career note as Rocky, turning a familiar icon into a tired, tender mentor.
Bottom line
What makes it linger is the balance between myth and intimacy. It has the uplift and spectacle you want from a sports movie, but it also has a quiet sadness about time, legacy, and mortality. The result is a modern crowd-pleaser that still feels personal.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joe (4.5★) · 6637 likes
The truest scene in this movie is when Adonis is sitting on the stoop outside the gym and a kid on a motorbike comes up to him and goes "I heard you were Apollo Creed's son" and Adonis is like "yeah," and the kid goes "that's what's up" and does a wheelie.
Sydney🚀 (4.5★) · 4426 likes
Was laying down on the couch watching this but you know when that final fight started I was in full dad-watching-the-super-bowl position
CosmonautMarkie (4.5★) · 2549 likes
Holy shit
Timcop (4★) · 1887 likes
I don't mean to nitpick, but doesn't Rocky have a restaurant to run?
Frandi Peralta (4.5★) · 1613 likes
“- Rocky Balboa: Prove what?- Adonis Johnson: That I'm not a mistake!” I can't believe how good this movie is.ABSOLUTELYINCREDIBLE MOVIE