According to TMZ, Michael B. Jordan is set to direct the next installment in the ‘Rocky’ franchise, continuing the ‘Creed’ series. Despite Sylvester Stallone having a dispute with a key producer, Irwin Winkler, the announcement was made at an event in L.A. where Winkler confirmed that ‘Creed IV’ is in the works, with Jordan returning as both director and star.
Winkler stated that they plan to start circling the project in 2024, with pre-production commencing about a year from the announcement. The delay is attributed to strikes affecting the production schedule.
The news may not sit well with Stallone, who has expressed discontent with Winkler over ‘Rocky’ rights. Stallone has called for an ownership stake in the intellectual property, arguing that as the creator of the character and story, he should have a cut. Despite the dispute, Stallone wished Jordan and Winkler well when ‘Creed III’ was in development.
Stallone’s love for ‘Rocky’ was recently highlighted in a Netflix documentary, “Sly,” which delves into how the Oscar-winning film came together. While Stallone has not directly addressed Winkler in the documentary, his feelings about the rights issue have been made clear.
Notably, Stallone’s character Rocky did not appear in the latest ‘Creed’ film, and he expressed dissatisfaction with the direction taken by Jordan and Winkler. The details of Stallone’s involvement in ‘Creed IV’ remain uncertain, but Jordan has left the possibility open, and Stallone has not commented on the recent green light for the new installment.
