Forty-four years on from the release of the first movie, the Rocky franchise is still fighting fit. The venerable boxing series got a major shot in the arm with 2015’s critically acclaimed smash hit Creed, which re-centered the action on Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, son of Apollo. This saw Stallone’s Rocky become Adonis’ coach and passing on his boxing experience to a new generation. The last installment in the franchise was 2018’s Creed II, in which Adonis squared off against the son of Ivan Drago and become heavyweight champion of the world. The film then ended with Rocky telling Adonis that this is “his time.”
The actor seems to be taking that line to heart, too. In a recent Instagram Q&A, he was asked about his future as Rocky and whether he’d return for Creed III. Here’s what he said:
“Well, I believe in the film, that’s possible, yes. But I never say no to [to a Rocky sequel], because I have a couple of ideas.”
That to me is a hint that Rocky Balboa might not be a major part of Creed III. Stallone may undoubtedly play a large role in getting the film made (and has gone so far as to suggest Deontay Wilder play the son of Rocky III‘s Clubber Lang), but might leave actually starring in it to the new cast. If so, it’d be a shame, because Rocky is the weathered heart of the franchise and his paternal relationship with Adonis is genuinely touching.
But that doesn’t mean that the Italian Stallion is gone from our screens forever. In July 2019, Stallone spoke about his plans to continue the Rocky franchise with a new mentor/student movie about a talented boxer who’s an illegal immigrant. Here’s how he described the project:
“Rocky meets a young, angry person who got stuck in this country when he comes to see his sister. He takes him into his life, and unbelievable adventures begin, and they wind up south of the border. It’s very, very timely.”
In addition to that, there are also rumors of a prequel TV series in the works for one of the major streaming platforms. So whatever happens with Creed III, the cinematic life of Rocky Balboa seems certain to continue for some time yet.