After Rocky Balboa restored the franchise to its former glory — winning back fans and critics who were left cold after Rocky V — it really had seemed like this time the world had seen the last of Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character. But that was before director Ryan Coogler got involved.
Coogler is now best known for the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, but he had made only one feature film when he stepped into the director’s chair for 2015’s Creed. Moreover, the film was to star frequent Coogler’s Fruitvale Station star Michael B. Jordan, coming off of Fant4stic, opposite Stallone’s seventh round as the retired champ himself.
The Lady-Wan of Screen Run joins Franchise Detours to discuss how its director and star went the distance with 2015’s Creed . We’ll discuss how the film honors the previous Rocky films, why it needs to earn its place within the beloved franchise, and whether it’s the best legacy sequel ever made.