Creed II (2018)
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Adonis Creed must face the son of the man who killed his father in a high-stakes rematch.
The story
Three years after his victory over "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, Adonis "Donnie" Creed has become a world champion and a global star under the mentorship of Rocky Balboa. While Adonis prepares for his future with his fiancée, Bianca, a challenge arises from the past. In Ukraine, Ivan Drago seeks to reclaim his lost glory by pitting his son, Viktor, against Adonis. When Rocky refuses to support Adonis in facing the son of the man who killed Apollo Creed, Adonis moves to Los Angeles to prepare for the fight on his own terms, leading to a tense preparation for a clash of legacies.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After winning the WBC World Heavyweight Championship, Adonis Creed and his mentor Rocky Balboa face a daunting challenge: a match against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago. Ivan Drago, who killed Adonis' father Apollo Creed in 1985, seeks redemption through his son. When Rocky refuses to support Adonis in this dangerous match, Adonis moves to Los Angeles with his fiancée, Bianca. During their preparation, Bianca discovers she is pregnant. Adonis initially trains with Tony "Little Duke" Evers but is injured during a preliminary fight against Viktor. Following a period of estrangement, Rocky and Little Duke retrain Adonis in the California desert for a rematch. The fight takes place in Moscow. During the bout, Adonis endures a heavy beating, eventually breaking his ribs, but manages to wear down Viktor. In the final rounds, the match becomes a test of will. Ivan Drago eventually throws in the towel to protect his son from further injury. Following the fight, the characters find personal resolution: Viktor and Ivan reconcile in Ukraine, Rocky meets his estranged son and grandson, and Adonis and Bianca visit Apollo's grave to find peace with the past.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 130
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Steven Caple Jr.
- Writers
- Juel Taylor · screenplay; Sylvester Stallone · screenplay; Sascha Penn · story; Cheo Hodari Coker · story
- Cast and characters
- Michael B. Jordan · Adonis "Donnie" Creed; Sylvester Stallone · Robert "Rocky" Balboa; Tessa Thompson · Bianca Taylor; Wood Harris · Tony "Little Duke" Evers; Florian Munteanu · Viktor Drago; Phylicia Rashad · Mary Anne Creed; Dolph Lundgren · Captain Ivan Drago
- Genres
- sports drama
- Themes
- legacy
- Tone and mood
- serious; intense
- Setting
- Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Moscow, and Ukraine.
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; revenge; sequel
- Franchise connections
- Rocky
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, character development, and direction, while noting its predictability. It was also a commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 45; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 87% · scale: percentage
- Production trivia
- Stallone's final appearance as Rocky Balboa; Stallone's only film in the series where he served as a co-writer
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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