The latest installment of the “Creed” franchise, “Creed III,” is now showing in theaters, but fans may be wondering where Sylvester Stallone‘s iconic character, Rocky Balboa, is. Although Stallone starred in the first two “Creed” movies and was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in the original film, he is absent from “Creed III.” While Rocky’s name is mentioned a few times in the movie, his whereabouts are never explained.
This is the first time in the franchise’s history that a “Rocky” film does not feature Rocky Balboa, spanning nine movies and 47 years. Stallone’s departure is twofold: he was not on board with the creative direction of “Creed III,” and his feud with franchise producer Irwin Winkler continues.
“Creed III,” written by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin with input from original “Creed” director Ryan Coogler, takes a darker approach to the typically uplifting “Rocky” franchise. As Variety critic Owen Gleiberman noted, “Creed III” feels more like a thriller inspired by “Cape Fear” than a traditional “Rocky” movie.
Stallone voiced his disappointment with the film’s direction, saying, “That’s a regretful situation because I know what it could have been. It was taken in a direction that is quite different than I would’ve taken it. It’s a different philosophy — Irwin Winkler’s and Michael B. Jordan’s. I wish them well, but I’m much more of a sentimentalist. I like my heroes getting beat up, but I don’t want them entering that dark space. I feel people have enough darkness.”
For Jordan, it was essential to focus on Adonis Creed’s story without the presence of Rocky. The first “Creed” centered on the relationship between Adonis and Rocky, while “Creed II” saw Adonis forging his path. In “Creed III,” Jordan wanted Adonis to stand on his own two feet, exploring his past and his family’s influence on his present.
Stallone’s absence from “Creed III” is also attributed to his ongoing feud with Irwin Winkler over the “Rocky” franchise’s rights. Winkler has owned the franchise since the original 1976 film, and Stallone sold him the rights when he was a struggling actor. In a 2019 interview with Variety, Stallone expressed his resentment towards not having ownership of the characters he created.
Although Stallone earned net points on the original “Rocky” film and received first-dollar gross on early sequels, he does not own the rights to the franchise. His feud with Winkler was reignited in 2022 when Stallone posted an Instagram photo featuring a portrait of Winkler as a knife-tongued serpent.
Whether Stallone will ever play Rocky Balboa again remains unclear, but his legacy in the franchise and Hollywood is unquestionable.
