Creed IV is a highly-anticipated movie for Rocky fans, but it will definitely be Michael B. Jordan’s most difficult movie yet. All three of Jordan’s Creed movies have been huge hits, with many viewers considering them just as good as the best Rocky movies from the original series. With the spin-off series gearing up to expand the universe even further, Creed IV is definitely happening, but Michael B. Jordan’s upcoming movie has a massive hurdle to get over regarding the legacy of Rocky.
2015’s Creed was the first-ever spin-off of the long-running Rocky franchise, and it was a huge hit, with it spawning two sequels of its own. 2023’s Creed III has shown that the franchise still has legs nearly 50 years after the first Rocky movie kicked things off, and the studio behind the series is set to expand things even further. Several future Creed sequels and spin-off TV shows are currently in the works, with the upcoming fourth Creed movie being the highest-profile of these projects. However, Creed IV‘s most apparent obstacle is actually the success of Rocky IV.
Creed 4 Needs To Be A Blockbuster Event
In order for Creed IV to succeed, it has to be a blockbuster event, bigger than any of the Creed movies that have come before. While there are six Rocky movies, the franchise undeniably peaked in popularity with Rocky IV. The fourth Rocky movie was a must-see event, with it perfectly capitalizing on the theatrical trends and political landscape of the 1980s. Rocky IV‘s flashy style and larger-than-life scale put it at the forefront of the cinematic landscape in 1985, and in order to succeed, Creed IV has to pull off the same trick.
While many movie fans are willing to be invested through a trilogy, fourth films are often where things begin to fall apart. Some viewers may be bored of the Creed story by the time Creed IV releases, with it risking repeating the same formula from the previous three films. Rocky IV changed the tone, style, and stakes of the franchise, and Creed IV can only save itself from monotony by doing the same thing.
How Creed 4 Can Match Rocky IV As A Pop Culture Phenomenon
Although it will be hard, Creed IV can match Rocky IV as a pop culture phenomenon. One of the biggest factors behind Rocky IV‘s success was its United States versus the USSR storyline, with this theme apping into the jingoism of audiences in the 1980s. While this style of storytelling isn’t as popular among modern audiences anymore, Creed IV can find a story that makes the stakes of Adonis’ fight bigger than himself, with Creed representing something that gets audiences excited.
The other big factor in Rocky IV‘s cultural phenomena was its villain, Ivan Drago. Ivan Drago has already reappeared in the Creed franchise, causing many viewers to wonder what other fighters can return in Creed IV. However, Ivan Drago was an original character in Rocky IV, meaning that Creed IV just needs a similarly intimidating original character. If the franchise truly wants to bring a legacy Rocky cast member back, the clear answer is Sylvester Stallone. This would be huge news in the wake of Rocky’s absence in Creed III, with it surely bringing viewers back in for Creed IV.
