Rocky is one of the most legendary film series of all time, but there was only so far it could go before its themes became stale. The pictures spanned six films from Rocky in 1976 to Rocky Balboa in 2006. After that final entry, Creed was released as a spinoff and continuation of the story in a different era.
This refreshing move helped rejuvenate the franchise, and there have been two Creed sequels already. With a new movie planned, it’s now time for MGM Pictures to consider other ways to boost the franchise and ensure that its legacy lives on as long as Rocky’s has.
Creed III Most Successful Film Yet
Michael B. Jordan’s turn as Adonis Creed in 2015 was a turning point for his career and led to his earning massive roles in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2018 and 2022 respectively. His rising star in the acting world has also helped draw more attention to the Creed series, with Creed II and Creed III earning $214 million and $275 million respectively.
In addition to Jordan now being a marquee star, the 36-year-old made his directorial debut in the 2023 offering. This doubtlessly helped to draw more crowds in, and critics praised his first-ever work in the chair. Some would argue that Creed III is the best installment in the series to date, and it seems that there’s no chance it will be the last after drawing loads of new fans in.
Branching Out into Games and Other Media
It could be the perfect time for Creed to expand beyond cinema and for the franchise to be boosted in other ways. There has only been one game so far, with Creed: Rise to Glory released by Survios in 2018. The game was well-received but failed to lead to a sequel. However, it was recently updated with the release of Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition in 2023. This could have been brought out to capitalize on the recent spike in interest in the film series.
MGM should commission more games on different platforms to help get the series in front of a wider audience. Along with consoles, the production company should tap into the mobile and online casino markets. There are already fight-themed Megaways casino slots, such as Beast Mode. It features gym equipment on the streets, reflecting the raw fight scene associated with amateur boxers. An official Creed slot game wouldn’t look out of place alongside titles like this, and it’s a strategy that has worked well for other movie series like Terminator and Jurassic Park in the past.
Grand Plans for the Future
Jordan has already confirmed that there are plans for another installment in the Creed series in the future. With the three pictures so far all outdoing each other in terms of box-office revenue, it makes sense that MGM would want to continue with it.
There’s also a chance that there will be spinoffs on television. One of the best ways to boost a franchise nowadays is to offer series that exist alongside the main films, and this has been done to great success in the Marvel and Star Wars universes. Creed has many excellent characters that could warrant their own series in the future.
It will be hard for Creed to become as iconic as Rocky, but not impossible. The series is getting better with each film, and if the franchise is boosted by games and television series it could grow exponentially.