Rocky Spinoff CREED Synopsis Released

Warner Bros. and MGM have released the official synopsis for Creed, the feature film spinoff of the Rocky movie franchise.

The film is being directed by Ryan Coogler and is currently filming in Philadelphia. Creed sees Sylvester Stallone reprise the role of Rocky Balboa. Fantastic Four’s Michael B. Jordan will play the son of Balboa’s rival and friend Apollo Creed.

Here’s the official synopsis, in full (via Philadelphia Magazine):

Adonis Johnson (Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born.  Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa.
Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer.  Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend.  Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring.
With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title…but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?
Creed also stars Tessa Thompson (Selma, Dear White People) as Bianca, a local singer-songwriter who becomes involved with Adonis; Phylicia Rashad (Lifetime’s Steel Magnolias) as Mary Anne Creed, Apollo’s widow; and English pro boxer and former three-time ABA Heavyweight Champion Anthony Bellew as boxing champ “Pretty” Ricky Conlan.
Coogler directs from a screenplay he wrote with Aaron Covington, based on characters from the “Rocky” series written by Sylvester Stallone.  …
Opening on November 25, 2015, the film’s production is being overseen by MGM.  It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, with select international territories as well as all television distribution being handled by MGM.

Source: Philadelphia Magazine 

CREED Gets A Release Date While POINT BREAK Abandons The Summer

Creed, is the Rocky spinoff in which Rocky helps train Apollo Creed’s grandson.

Though Creed is filming as we speak, it just got a surprisingly quick release date. The film will come out November 25 of this year. Probably so it can win Best Picture. I mean, this movie has Rocky in it, so it has to be a contender.

Meanwhile, the Point Break remake took one look at sharing the weekend with Mission: Impossible 5 and said “No thanks, bra” or maybe “No thanks, cuz.” Instead it will come out Christmas Day, when we’re all cold as shit and wish we could surf with our new bank-robbing boyfriends.

RAMBO 5: Sylvester Stallone Announces ‘Rambo 5′ Title

After months of speculation, Sylvester Stallone has finally announced the title for the fifth (and seemingly final) “Rambo” movie, “Rambo: Last Blood.”

The actor simply tweeted earlier this week that he’ll be filming a gangster biopic about Gregory “the Grim Reaper” Scarpa after shooting “Rambo: Last Blood.”

Doing Scarpa based on Gangster Greg Scarpa after LAST BLOOD RAMBO…
— Sylvester Stallone (@TheSlyStallone) December 28, 2014

Seven years have passed since Stallone last reprised the role of Vietnam vet John Rambo. The last film, “Rambo,” earned $113 million worldwide.

Since 2008, he’s talked about both retiring the character (who first appeared in David Morrell’s 1972 novel “First Blood”) for good and bringing him back for a last hurrah. Stallone apparently decided on the latter as he’ll be writing and directing and “Rambo: Last Blood,” in addition to starring in the film.

Stallone will be returning to another familiar franchise this month. He also tweeted that he’s headed to Philadelphia to play Rocky Balboa for the seventh time in director Ryan Coogler’s “Creed.” He’ll play the trainer of Apollo Creed’s grandson, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan. Coogler last directed Jordan in 2013’s critically acclaimed “Fruitvale Station.”

Expendables 4 Will Be Full On R-Rated

The Expendables series has shown diminishing returns both for fans and execs. The third movie diverted its focus away from the aging action heroes that were the driving force behind the series to begin with, and also fell vicim to pre-release piracy. (The industry is still debating the effect that leak had on the box office.) The Expendables 3 was also PG-13, and the downgraded level of intense action that followed that ratings change wasn’t viewed well by fans. Sylvester Stallone seems to get it, however, and says that the attempt to broaden the series’ appeal was “a horrible miscalculation” that will be rectified in the future. Will an R-Rated Expendables 4 be the course correct the series needs?

The Expendables 3 hits blu on November 25, with an extended, unrated version on disc. Promoting that release to Crave Online, Stallone said that future films starting with a theoretical The Expendables 4 will be R-rated in theaters.

“Absolutely unequivocally yes. I believe it was a horrible miscalculation on everyone’s part in trying to reach a wider audience, but in doing such, diminish the violence that the audience expects. I’m quite certain it won’t happen again.”

A fourth film seems all but assured at this point, but there’s nothing set in stone yet. Stallone is asked about ideas such as taking the team back to WWII, and he explains his idea of playing with the formula a bit, even if he probably wouldn’t go that far:

“I have actually entertained the idea of putting the group into such an unnatural environment that it, in an of itself, creates extra suspense and tension: the “fish out of water” scenario. That environment might not be time travel, but nearly just as jarring.”

He also mentions that Antonio Banderas did most of the work for his Expendables 3 character. “His true personality is naturally dynamic so all I did was say “be yourself and pretend you’re a mercenary,” and the rest including the dialog was all his.”

Apollo Creed Spinoff Reportedly Adding Two Real-Life Boxers

Two real life boxers are in negotiations to star in the upcoming Rocky spinoff, Creed.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two boxers set to join the film are WBA super-middleweight champion Andre Ward and former British champion Tony Bellew. Bellew will play a fighter named “Pretty Ricky Porter,” Creed’s main opponent. At this time, there’s no word on Ward’s role in the film.
 
Creed focuses on the grandson of Rocky’s first rival, Apollo Creed. The synopsis for the film reads: “Raised in an upper-crust home thanks to the ring riches earned by his grandfather, the young man doesn’t have to box and his family doesn’t want him to. Yet, he has the natural instinct and gifts and potential that made his grandfather the heavyweight champion until Rocky Balboa took his crown in 1979′s Rocky II. Creed’s grandson needs a mentor and turns to Balboa, who is out of boxing completely and not eager to return.”

Sylvester Stallone will reportedly reprise his role as Rocky Balboa in Creed. Creed’s grandson will be played by Michael B. Jordan (Fantastic Four, Chronicle), while Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler will helm the film. The script is being penned by Coogler, along with Aaron Covington.