Creed 3 might be able to borrow a death trick from Rocky Balboa (2006), as Sylvester Stallone will not be reprising his role as Rocky Balboa. The first two Creed movies relied heavily on the friendship between Stallone’s renowned boxer and Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis. That will alter in Creed 3, though, as Stallone isn’t featured. The movie begins seven years after Creed 2 and follows Adonis as he to faced by a childhood friend-turned-enemy, Damian Anderson. Adonis lives a more stable life with his wife, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), and their kid (Jonathan Majors).
Sylvester Stallone’s absence from Creed 3 increased the likelihood that Rocky would to assassinated off-screen. Rocky was only briefly addressed in the movie’s trailer when Adonis spoke about the people in his life. Balboa was a key component of the first two movies. His disappearance would leave a noticeable emotional gap in Adonis’ universe even though Creed can stand alone as its standalone franchise. However, if the guy is deceased, Creed 3 can gain from his passing. To specifically explain why Stallone didn’t take on his part again, the film might reenact a death ruse from Rocky Balboa.
Adrian’s Death in Rocky Balboa Could Be a Mirror Image of Rocky Dying Offscreen
Balboa’s wife, Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire), who served as Rocky’s anchor throughout five films, was one of the most significant characters throughout the whole Rocky trilogy. Adrian to scheduled to appear in Rocky Balboa, but her scene was to be deleted so that the boxer’s anguish could be the main subject. Although her absence might have damaged the plot, the movie exploited the Italian Stallion’s emotional journey toward accepting her departure to center on her memories. Her passing gave Rocky Balboa a seriousness reminiscent of 1976’s Rocky, which may have contributed to the 2006 movie’s critical success.
If Rocky had died in Creed 3, the film might follow Rocky Balboa’s lead and used his passing to make its narrative have a more difficult emotional impact. In addition to action, the Creed series emphasizes drama, with plots like Adonis confronting his father’s past and Bianca coping with her hearing loss. Thus, the plot of Creed 3 could accommodate Rocky’s passing. Adonis relied largely on Rocky’s leadership; thus, his absence from the start of the film may make things tenser because he would have to deal with both the death of his mentor and father figure and the reappearance of Jonathan Major’s malevolent Damian.
Will Rocky Balboa Die in Creed 3?
Since the Italian Stallion represents the Rocky universe, it’s hard to see Creed 3 eliminating him. However, it might be likely given Stallone’s troubles with franchise producer Irwin Winkler behind the scenes. After Creed 2, the actor was supposed to star in another Rocky movie. Stallone claimed to have a concept for a new Rocky film in 2019 that would focus on his character teaching a young immigrant fighter. In 2021, Stallone provided a less upbeat assessment of the follow-up to The Hollywood Reporter, speaking of Rocky VII in the past tense while talking about his unsuccessful attempt to acquire a portion of the property:
He said in the same interview, “The “Creed” films don’t include me on the executive producing team. I’m the only one remaining, […].” Rocky Balboa’s death in Creed 3 may be possible due to Stallone’s hostility toward Winkler and his discontent with how his financial involvement in the movie has been handled. Stallone’s departure from the franchise would support the rumor that Rocky Balboa would die in Creed 3. Despite the chance that Creed 3 would deal with his absence differently, If Stallone decides not to reprise the role, it would be reasonable for the character to be destroyed in the movie.