Creed

Creed is a 2015 American sports drama directed by Ryan Coogler and written by him together with Aaron Covington. It is the seventh film in the Rocky series, a spin-off and a sequel to Rocky Balboa (2006). Adonis Creed is the illegitimate son of the late heavyweight world champion Apollo Creed. He moves to Philadelphia, wants to become a professional boxer and takes Rocky Balboa, who has already left the ring, as his mentor. The goal of the training is a fight with the light heavyweight world champion Ricky Conlan at Goodison Park in Liverpool. Boxing is the main theme of the film and several opponents are played by real professional boxers. Conlan was portrayed by the Englishman Tony Bellew, who won the WBC cruiserweight world title only after the shooting. Andre Ward, the light heavyweight Olympic champion from Athens 2004, plays Danny Wheeler, and the Philadelphia boxer Gabriel Rosado plays Leo Sporino. According to Coogler, Michael B. Jordan in the lead role spent a month rehearsing boxing and the choreography of all the fight scenes in a ring built next to the production office. Filming began on 19 January 2015 at Goodison Park during the Everton – West Bromwich Albion match and continued in Philadelphia, where an empty shop was rebuilt into a boxing gym. Sylvester Stallone won a Golden Globe for the role of Rocky and was nominated for an Oscar. The film was followed by Creed II (2018) and Creed III (2023), in which Andre Ward and Tony Bellew, respectively, returned to their roles.

Martial arts in this work

Origin

The studio MGM signed Ryan Coogler as director on 24 July 2013. He wrote the screenplay with Aaron Covington and Sylvester Stallone also contributed to it. By 25 April 2014 Coogler confirmed a finished draft of the script and the participation of Michael B. Jordan and Stallone. The professional boxers Tony Bellew and Andre Ward joined the cast in November 2014. Other people from the boxing world also appear in the film, cutman Jacob "Stitch" Duran and commentators Max Kellerman and Jim Lampley. Besides Liverpool and Philadelphia, filming took place in February and March 2015 at Sun Center Studios in Aston Township.

Fight choreography

Adonis's fight with Leo Sporino, played by the boxer Gabriel Rosado, is shot as a single take without a cut. According to the breakdown that Ryan Coogler narrated for No Film School, he spent about a week on blocking the scene. The preparation involved cinematographer Maryse Alberti, Steadicam operator Benjamin Semanoff, Rosado, Michael B. Jordan and stunt coordinator Clayton J. Barber. Because of the uncut shooting, Semanoff began attending boxing classes. Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson came for one day to rehearse the timing and movement in the same scene. According to the same source, the scene was shot thirteen times, only takes eleven and thirteen were usable, and the eleventh is in the film. The hit near Jordan's eye and the artificial blood were added with computer effects.

People and martial arts

• Ryan CooglerDirector
• Michael B. JordanActor — as Adonis Creed· Boxing (portrays the art on screen)
• Sylvester StalloneActor — as Rocky Balboa· Boxing (portrays the art on screen)
• Tony BellewActor — as Ricky Conlan· Boxing (real practitioner)
• Andre WardActor — as Danny Wheeler· Boxing (real practitioner)
• Gabriel RosadoActor — as Leo Sporino· Boxing (real practitioner)
• Clayton J. BarberStunt coordinator

Awards

• Won · Golden Globe Awards, Best Supporting Actor — Sylvester Stallone
• Nominated · Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor — Sylvester Stallone

Series