It all ends here. After nearly five decades and nine films, the world of Rocky Balboa — and, by extension, Adonis Creed — comes to a close. Of course, there’s still more in the works from these beloved fighters. But until we learn more about Creed IV’s development or whatever Amazon has in store for Rocky fans, this marks the final round of our Rocky/Creed mega-series.

Kevin the Critic joins us for our final punch, as we talk 2023’s Creed III from star and first-time director Michael B. Jordan. We’ll discuss how the movie sees Adonis’ forge his own path, what new antagonist Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) brings to the franchise, and where we hope to see the Creed family saga go with the now-in-development fourth entry.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully relaunched the Rocky series for a whole new generation, perfectly encapsulating what made the franchise great while updating it for a modern sensibility. So, what after Creed? Where’s a sequel to a legacy sequel to go? That’s the task ahead for Creed II.

With Steven Caple Jr. stepping in for Ryan Coogler as director, the second film follows Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he claims the title, only to find the past creeping its way back. None other than Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) — who killed Donnie’s father in the ring — and his boxer son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) reappear with a showdown in mind.

Jason of Binge Movies joins Franchise Detours to discuss 2018’s Creed II for an epic-length chat. We’ll cover whether the film is helped or hindered by its ties to 1985’s Rocky IV, how it undermines its theme of fathers and sons, and if it serves as a fitting final appearance for Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky.

This may be the swan song for “The Italian Stallion” on the big screen. So join us for a heart-wrenching journey through the entire Rocky franchise to date. Next up? The most recent entry, 2023’s Stallone-less Creed III!

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.