Creed III: read the first reactions praising Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut

Michael B. Jordan is set to deliver a knock-out punch with Creed III. At least, that's according to the initial social media reactions: critics have praised Jordan's directorial debut, which continues the respective Creed and Rocky franchises.

As Jordan steps behind the camera, Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa is absent for the first time in the history of the classic series. This leaves the spotlight firmly on Jordan who now doubles up as both director and star.

Jordan's character, boxer Adonis 'Donnie' Creed, is now enjoying the success he has reaped from his bouts in the previous Creed movies. As Donnie says, his success is "built on the shoulders" of both Rocky and Donnie's father, the late Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).

However, there's trouble in paradise with the emergence of a figure from Donnie's past. Step forward Damian (Jonathan Majors), the former's childhood friend who went to prison at a young age and sculpted himself into fearsome shape.

The apparently benign Damian is soon revealed to be anything but, and it all comes down to another title fight where the two men must settle their differences on the canvas. The movie comes to the big screen in IMAX, which allows the brawny fight scenes to glisten and sheen with added dynamism, expanse and tension.

We've rounded up a select portion of the initial responses, which praise scene-stealer Majors (also to be seen in Marvel's Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania), and the confidence of Jordan's direction. Let's get ready to rumble all over again.

 

Will Creed III live up to the mighty legacy of both the existing Creed movies and the Rocky movies? Find out at Cineworld on March 3rd when the movie lands.