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On March 15, 2026, Hollywood actor Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor award at the 2026 Oscars for his powerful dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler’s supernatural horror hit Sinners. Following his Academy Award win, many filmmakers and actors might be eager to collaborate with him. His upcoming slate includes The Thomas Crown Affair remake, Joseph Kosinski’s Miami Vice reboot co-starring Austin Butler, I Am Legend 2 alongside Will Smith, Chad Stahelski’s action-thriller Rainbow Six, and Creed IV.
Fans of the Rocky franchise may already know that the original Rocky, followed by five sequels, all starred Sylvester Stallone. The iconic boxing franchise got a fresh lease on life with its first spin-off, Creed, which introduced Michael B. Jordan as the titular protagonist. Two more sequels followed in 2018 and 2023.
Creed IV has been in development for some time now. While its official plot is being kept under wraps and a release date hasn’t been announced yet, the story could take a new direction. With that in mind, here are three things we’d like to see in the fourth installment of the Creed franchise.
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1. Comeback of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa
After leading six Rocky films, Sylvester Stallone made a memorable return with the 2015 spin-off Creed, reprising his iconic role as Rocky Balboa. He continued as Adonis Creed’s mentor in Creed II but was absent from Creed III.
While the third film was both a critical and commercial success, Sylvester Stallone’s absence left many longtime fans disappointed. Creed IV is the perfect opportunity to bring Rocky Balboa back. His return, combined with Michael B. Jordan’s post-Oscar momentum, could elevate the film both creatively and at the box office.
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2. Ryan Coogler’s Return As Director
The first Creed was directed by Sinners helmer and Michael B. Jordan’s long-time collaborator Ryan Coogler. That film earned a stellar 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. In comparison, Creed II and Creed III, directed by Steven Caple Jr. and Michael B. Jordan, respectively, received slightly lower critics’ scores of 83% and 89%.
While the last two Creed films were well-made and successful, the first Creed clearly resonated more strongly with critics. With Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s latest collaboration, Sinners, earning major recognition at the Oscars, bringing Ryan Coogler back to the director’s chair could be the best move for Creed IV.
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3. A Tougher Opponent With Star Power
With Creed IV, fans will expect the stakes to be higher and Adonis Creed to face an even bigger, tougher challenge. Across the trilogy, each film had a strong rival: Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew) in Creed, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) in Creed II, and Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) in Creed III.
Creed IV feels like the perfect opportunity to introduce Adonis’s most formidable opponent yet, someone who is not only physically fit but also carries significant star power. Casting a well-known Hollywood actor like Jake Gyllenhaal could elevate the film’s scale and appeal. Other names, such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Aaron Pierre, Austin Butler, Paul Mescal, and Nicholas Hoult, could also be exciting choices for the role.
His body is the Eighth Wonder of the World. pic.twitter.com/zdrIe3eRmj
— jake Gyllenhaal (@goldenhaall) March 13, 2025
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