Is Creed based on a true story?

Modified Jun 19, 2024 14:18 GMT

Michael B. Jordan seen as Creed in the sports drama (Image via Facebook/Creed)

The acclaimed sports drama Creed is directed by Ryan Coogler and co-written by Coogler and Aaron Covington. Released in 2015, Creed is the first spin-off movie in the Rocky film series and the seventh installment in the franchise.

Moreover, the film is not based on a true story as it includes fictional characters, most of whom were a part of the Rocky film franchise. The film's synopsis as per Rotten Tomatoes is as follows:

"Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died before Adonis was born. However, boxing is in his blood, so he seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and asks the retired champ to be his trainer."

It continues:

"Rocky sees much of Apollo in Adonis, and agrees to mentor him, even as he battles an opponent deadlier than any in the ring. With Rocky's help, Adonis soon gets a title shot, but whether he has the true heart of a fighter remains to be seen."

What is the inspiration behind Creed?

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone in a scene from the film (Image via Facebook/Creed)

Director Ryan Coogler first came up with the idea for the film in 2012, while preparing to make his directorial debut with Fruitvale Station.

It was around this time that his father was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease that led his skeletal muscles to become weak and reduce in size. His dad, Ira Coogler, was a huge fan of the Rocky Balboa films and Ryan dedicated this film to his relationship with his father.

He spoke about it in detail during an interview with Time Magazine in November 2015:

"(My dad) used to play the (Rocky movies) before I had football games to pump me up, and he would get really emotional watching the movies. He used to watch Rocky II with his mom while she was sick and dying of cancer. She passed away when he was 18 years old."

He continued:

"And so when he got sick he was losing his strength because he had a muscular condition. He was having trouble getting around, having trouble carrying stuff.

"I started thinking about this idea of my dad’s mortality. For me he was kind of like this mythical figure, my father, similar to what Rocky was for him."

He concluded:

"Going through it inspired me to make a film that told a story about his hero going through something similar to kind of motivate him and cheer him up. That’s how I came up with the idea for this movie."

Plot Summary

The amateur boxer Adonis 'Donnie' Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) takes centerstage with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) as his trainer and mentor.

Donnie is the illegitimate son of the former heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), who was Rocky's foe-turned-friend in the original Rocky film franchise.

He faces off against the world light heavyweight champion 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew) at the famous Goodison Park in Liverpool, England. Their fight in the second-half of the film draws many parallels with the first fight between Apollo and Rocky in the franchise' first film from almost forty years ago.

At the end of the movie, the British boxer Conlan wins on a split decision. But Donnie wins everyone's repect and establishes himself as a serious contender in the light heavyweight division.