Creed II

Michael B. Jordan Director: Steven Caple Jr. Steven Caple Jr.

Overview

The sequel to 2015's Creed and the eighth film in the Rocky series follows Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of former boxing champion Apollo Creed who was killed by Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) during an exhibition match in 1985. Training under the wings of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Adonis seeks to avenge his father's death by defeating Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), Ivan Drago's son, in a boxing match. Directed by Steven Caple, Jr.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/01/2019
UPC:	0883929694730
Original Release:	2018
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	New Line Home Video
Sales rank:	2,109

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael B. Jordan	Adonis Creed
Sylvester Stallone	Rocky Balboa
Tessa Thompson	Bianca
Phylicia Rashad	Mary Anne
Wood Harris	Tony "Little Duke" Burton
Andre Ward	Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler
Florian Munteanu	Victor Drago
Dolph Lundgren	Ivan Drago
Russell Hornsby	Buddy Marcelle
Milo Ventimiglia	Robert Balboa
Robbie Johns	Logan Balboa
Brigitte Nielsen	Ludmilla Drago
Patrice Harris	Padman
Jacob "Stitch" Duran	Stitch
Ana Gerena	Adrian's Waitress
Benjamin Vaynshelboym	Construction Supervisor (Russian)
Angelina Shipilina	Debutante (Russian)
Pavel Vakunov	Russian Politician
Oleg Ivanov	Businessman (Russian)
Christopher Mann	Dr. Percy Ewell
Robert Douglas	Kyri
Zack Beyer	Photographer
Chrisdine King	Casino Bartender
James Collins	Sports Bar Patron
John Jezior	Stage Manager/Barclays Center
Pete Postiglione	Reporter
Bill Vargus	Reporter
Johanna Tolentino	Pharmacist
Eleni Delopoulos	Nurse
Marcia Myers	Obstetrics Nurse
Emily Grace Murray	Nurse (Testing Room)
Corey Calliet	Comer Men
Robert Sale	Comer Men
Hendrix McDaniel	Newborn Amara
Maverick McDaniel	Newborn Amara
Paris Michael Cunningham	Age 4 Months Amara
Kenny Bayless	Referee Kenny Bayless
Robert Byrd	Referee Robert Byrd
Ivo Nandi	Russian Referee
Dmitry Torgovitsky	Ukraine Referee
Bibi Bourelly	Bianca's Backup Singer

Technical Credits

Sylvester Stallone

Juel Taylor

Steven Caple	Director
Ra Arancio-Parrain	Art Director
Franco-Giacomo Carbone	Production Designer
William Chartoff	Producer
Kyle Clark	Camera Operator
Cheo Hodari Coker	Original Story
Ryan Coogler	Executive Producer
Gino Crognale	Makeup Special Effects
Gabriel De Cunto	Makeup
Kerwin De Vonish	Camera Operator
Bernardo Duran	Associate Producer
Brennon Edwards	Production Manager
Georgie Fame	Musical Direction/Supervision
Dana E. Glauberman	Editor
Ludwig Göransson	Score Composer
Saira Haider	Editor
Paul Harb	Editor
Melissa Holt	Camera Operator
Michael B. Jordan	Executive Producer
Kevin King-Templeton	Producer
Bill Lance	Set Decoration/Design
Jen Malone	Musical Direction/Supervision
Kramer Morgenthau	Cinematographer
Mitch Osias	Sound/Sound Designer
Pamela Peitzman	Makeup
Sascha Penn	Original Story
Guy Riedel	Executive Producer
Alicia Robbins	Cinematographer
Jesse Rosenthal	Art Director
Ricardo Sarmiento	Camera Operator
Daniel Schade	Camera Operator
Ian Sharples	Producer,Production Manager
Monica Sonand	Musical Direction/Supervision
Sylvester Stallone	Producer,Screenwriter
Jim Sullivan	Camera Operator
Drew Suppa	Camera Operator
Juel Taylor	Screenwriter
Fam Udeorji	Musical Direction/Supervision
David Winkler	Producer
Charles Winkler	Producer
Irwin Winkler	Producer
Lizz Wolf	Costumes/Costume Designer
Michele "Shelley" Ziegler	Asst. Director

Editorial Reviews

When Creed hit theaters, audiences were introduced to a new character in the tried-and-true Rocky universe. Now, fans are given a worthy sequel, as the story of Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) continues. The sequel's director, Steven Caple Jr., follows the usual tropes of a boxing movie, but does so elegantly and with purpose. Creed II is full of heart and tension, and succeeds in making the 130-minute film feel like a frantic 12-round bout. Featuring a cast of old villains and heroes, like Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), it is both nostalgic and fresh, a rare feat in filmmaking today. Adonis, also known as Creed, is fresh off the heels of his almost victory against undefeated "Pretty" Ricky Conlan in the light-heavy weight championship, a fight that rocketed Creed to stardom and forced the boxing world to take him seriously. The fame soon comes at a price, however, as Drago's son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu), challenges him to a fight. Thirty years after Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed in the ring, Adonis has a chance to avenge his father, all while establishing himself as one of the world's top boxers. Billed as a "fight born from tragedy," Creed must also consider doing what is right for his family. His trainer, Rocky, his girlfriend, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), and mother, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) all weigh in on the fight, but in the end, it is Adonis' decision to make. Like many great films based on sport, Creed II focuses on the characters, allowing them to build up the drama before the gloves even touch. Sylvester Stallone taps into his inner Rocky once again, further cementing his legacy as one of the best on-screen characters of all time. Tessa Thompson's performance as Bianca, an aspiring musician with progressive hearing loss, is admirable, and she is one of the most likeable and engaging supporting characters in recent memory. On top of the impressive acting and storyline, the boxing action is also worth mentioning. Every landed punch can almost be felt throughout the audience, every crack can send shivers down your spine. There is a point, somewhere in between unbelievable and unrealistic, that many boxing movies venture into, with the intention of ramping up the drama. Creed II rarely crosses this line, instead relying on a certain affinity for its characters to provide drama. Sure, this film is structured around some of the most obvious clichés; the arrogant superstar, the temper tantrums, the apologies and most importantly, the montages. But it is how Caple Jr. navigates around these clichés that is impressive. Nothing in Creed II feels unnecessary. No character goes ignored; there is even meaningful character development for the villain, Viktor Drago. By giving each character a reason to be on screen, Caple Jr. and his writing staff are able to amplify every tense minute, including some unforgettable fighting scenes in the final moments.

All Movie Guide - Travis Norris