Writer and director Ryan Coogler’s got another hit on his hands.
His latest film, Creed, the seventh installment of the original Rocky franchise, has received massive amounts of praise.
And for good reason.
Michael B. Jordan, whom Coogler collaborated with on Fruitvale Station, and Sylvester Stallone give the movie an authentic and gripping feel.
In Creed, Jordan plays Adonis, the child of boxing legend Apollo Creed, who hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps and dominate the light-heavyweight division. He enlist Stallone as his trainer and falls in love with the beautiful Bianca, (Tessa Thompson) before making a name for himself as a boxer.
Coogler told us after a great first week that he recognized the impact that both Apollo Creed and the Rocky franchise has had on the black and hip hop community for generations.
“A lot of it has to do with the character being an underdog,” he said about the films. “A lot of it had to do with Carl Weathers and his character and performance as Apollo Creed and the presence that that had and how unique his character was for that time.”
But with Apollo’s death in the fourth installment, Jordan’s Adonis was able to make his mark as his father’s son with his own accomplishments.
Coogler and Jordan are quickly becoming an unstoppable director and actor combination.
“He’s gotten better, more confident, and has had more experience,” said Coogler of Jordan’s on-screen poise. “We were able to work together better too because we got that shared experience.”
But Jordan isn’t the only star making waves with his performance in the movie. Many have been drawn to Stallone’s vulnerability in the form, commending the now seasoned actor on his dedication, versatility and depth. USA Today has even hinted at the possibility of an Oscar nomination.
Coogler agrees.
“To see Sly, who is 69, put in hard work every day, you know he didn’t have to make this movie and to see him come to work every day and put that kind of work in, it would be awesome to see him honored for that.”
With the recent video detailing the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald by police and countless Black Lives Matter protests across the nation, the positive portrayal of black men in media is crucial to Coogler.
“I think my feelings about seeing black men get killed on video, they are always going to be the same,” the director shared. “It’s the same feelings I felt the first time I saw Oscar Grant get murdered.”
For Coogler, it’s about responsibility.
“I think that this story is about a young black man who is like myself, who is like these other kids… Growing up, as a movie fan, I often found myself longing for representation of myself in media and film, so I’m honored to be in this position.”