The Creed franchise is more than a Rocky spinoff

Los Angeles — This is a 21st century underdog story.

The Creed series is a Hollywood miracle in many ways. A lucrative spin-off of the beloved Rocky series decades ago, but with its own modern style and sensibility.

And by emphasizing black talent on both sides of the camera while paying homage to the star and the stories that gave it its grounding, it flipped the script on enduring white working-class myths.

Warner Bros. ‘Creed III,’ which hits theaters March 3, also had the lead actor at the helm as director, and a similar move was made by Sylvester Stallone when he released his 1979 ‘Rocky II.’ The film marks Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut.

“Michael B. Jordan has worked on some great TV series and movies. I have always said that the best film schools are on set.” Founded the African American Film Critics Association. “I think it was just a matter of time [he] I jumped behind the camera. ”

Jordan’s path to directing was paved by Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed Creed’s first film, and Stephen Caple Jr., who directed the second. Coogler, who had yet to release his Jordan-starring debut, Fruitvale Station, approached Stallone about a Creed spinoff.

Years later he finally beat him. Stallone co-starred in his first two films and co-wrote the script for ‘Creed II’. Stallone was not involved in the third Creed film and declined CNBC’s request for comment.

The first film, 2015’s Creed, followed Adonis, son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s longtime rival and later friend. The story examines the life of an orphan boy who lives in the shadows of a boxing legend and addresses his own underdog story as he tries to follow in his father’s footsteps into the ring.

“Creed” echoes many of the narrative cues from the original Rocky films, which focused on the so-called “Ham and Eggs” from the nasty streets of the white working class Philadelphia, and the heavyweight competitors. and eventually become a world champion.

But the new franchise also addressed issues around the Black experience and Black masculinity.

Fordham University professor Brandi Monk-Payton, who specializes in black media representation, said that “black representation should not have such a focus on traditional thinking in terms of past and historical struggles against discrimination and oppression. It’s fresh to hit.” “They are, [the film’s characters] Moving around the world…but at the same time, that’s not the focus of the story. ”

Such stories are only told when black artists are part of the production process and have leadership roles within the studio, industry insiders and experts say.

Sheldon Epps, one of the preeminent black directors in television and theater, said the last decade or so has seen a shift in diversity in Hollywood.

“In certain circumstances, I was one of the few, or only, black directors or leaders of an arts institution,” he said. It was the only one of the few TV shows I’ve been on, and sadly that’s been true for years.”

Epps recruited more black men to helm hour-long dramatic television shows such as Paris Barkley (“Cold Case,” “The West Wing”) and Eric Laneuville (“Lost”). Said that slowly changed as directors were hired. He also pointed to black writers such as Ava DuVernay as people who rose to positions of power and used their positions to uplift others. DuVernay’s series “Queen Sugar” had a policy that only female directors appeared on the show.

“Having more artists of color involved in the process of creating the story as well as creating the story is essential because it broadens the canvas,” Epps said. , we get a much broader view of all of the country’s different communities because the stories are written from within those worlds, rather than looking at Asians with a narrow perspective.”

And stories of black protagonists sell tickets.

“The Woman King” earned nearly $100 million worldwide during its theatrical release last year, and Coogler’s two “Black Panther” films combined under the Marvel banner to make over $2 billion at the global box office. made more than a dollar.

Both “Creed” and “Creed II” generated more than $100 million at the domestic box office, according to Comscore data. The third movie is expected to make $25 million to $35 million in its opening weekend.

Roland Rodriguez, president of the National Association of Theater Owners, said it “expanded the audience.” “There’s a certain additional energy that’s been drawn within the Hispanic and African American communities.”

Rodriguez estimates that while blacks make up 13% of the population, black moviegoers make up about 20% to 22% of total Creed III ticket sales. Similarly, the Hispanic community represents about 19% of the population, but he makes up 28% from his 25% of movie tickets sold.

“It really helps the movie as a whole because it doesn’t separate it from other audiences,” he said, noting that other demographic groups will still be in the movie so it won’t replace those audiences. rice field.

Rodriguez said, “I’m excited about it because it’s great to see these diverse films where you can actually see these young men and women represented on screen as lead actors and actresses.” “Hopefully I can be a CEO or someone who can be a movie star, a producer, a director… I think it sends a very important social message.”