Creed 3 should include the return of Clubber Lang instead of Rocky Balboa. Although there was plenty of skepticism around Creed relaunching the Rocky franchise, the two films led by director Michael B. Jordan have proved to be quite remarkable. Both films were critically well received and did well at the box office, as audiences saw the franchise move forward with Jordan’s Adonis Creed, who also had Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky by his side.

Development on Creed 3 is moving forward and now has Michael B. Jordan confirmed to direct. So far, there are no details about where the story will go after Creed II. One idea that is quite popular with fans is that Creed 3 could bring back Mr. T as Clubber Lang. Stallone originally planned to bring Lang back in Rocky Balboa as a retired fighter who was a reformed Christian and part-time commentator. When that didn’t happen, the Rocky III antagonist was considered to return in Creed II and feature the introduction of his son. However, the franchise chose to bring back Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and introduce his son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) instead.

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Previous installments of the Rocky and Creed movie franchise might have moved past the idea to bring back Clubber Lang, but that just means that Creed 3 is now in the perfect position to do so. The end of Creed II saw Rocky and Adonis go their separate ways after confronting their shared past with the Drago family. Adonis might still be the reigning WBC Heavyweight Champion, but a big part of his arc in Creed II was balancing boxing and his growing family. The return of Clubber Lang could be used to give Adonis a chance to learn what life can be like once his time as a fighter is over.

Clubber Lang’s story after Rocky III has yet to be explicitly revealed in the movies, but Stallone’s plans for him paint an interesting idea for how he could be used in Creed 3. Clubber and Adonis could cross paths if the former southpaw fighter calls one of Adonis’ recent fights. If Clubber has turned away from his antics of the past, he might even be interested in talking to Adonis to apologize for the scrums he had with Apollo in the past. Through their conversations, though, Adonis can learn about what Clubber’s life has been like after boxing. In doing so, Adonis could start to understand where his life is going.

This would also present Creed 3 with a way to give fans a taste of nostalgia by featuring another character from the franchise’s past. But more importantly, this would also provide a possible explanation for Rocky to not come back. Creed II worked as a terrific ending to Rocky’s story, as he walks away from the boxing culture to repair his relationship with his son. Stallone said not too long after Creed II‘s release that this was the end of Rocky’s story, and even though it would certainly be strange not to see Rocky in Creed 3, Clubber can step in and take his place. Adonis deserves to be out of Rocky’s shadow completely, and Clubber Lang’s involvement could ensure that is possible while also presenting Creed 3 with a new dynamic at the center.

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Cooper Hood
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Cooper Hood is a news and feature writer for Screen Rant. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn’t until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. When he isn’t writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.

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