Why Rocky’s Movies Are Better For The Franchise Than Creed’s

Despite Stallone’s character no longer being the face (or name) of the franchise, the Rocky movies are much better for the iconic series of boxing movies than Creed‘s. Ever since his first appearance in 1976’s Rocky, the eponymous boxer has been one of the most famous fighters – real or fictional – ever to step into the ring. Not only did the character of Rocky Balboa pioneer the sports drama genre, but he also became one of the most iconic movie characters of all time.

Since that first film, Rocky went on to feature in five sequels before the franchise switched focus to concentrate on the life and career of Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed – the illegitimate son of Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed. With the change of protagonist, there was something of a shift in the franchise, too: Adonis’ journey is very different from Rocky’s, for various reasons, and this is reflected in his movies. However, while the new protagonist was entirely necessary to keep the franchise alive, Adonis Creed doesn’t quite have the same effect that Rocky Balboa once did.

As with so many legacy sequels, the Creed movies tend to often retread old ground by way of connecting with the earlier days of the franchise. So far, this hasn’t hurt Creed, but it has set it up to remain in Rocky‘s shadow. And, while the continuation of Stallone’s place in the Rocky franchise is under doubt, his character’s movies are better for the sports drama series than his successor’s.

Rocky Reflects Real Boxing Life

The original Rocky was praised for its somewhat gritty portrayal of the lower levels of the boxing world, and while it may seem hyperbolic to some of its audience, it remains surprisingly accurate even decades later. For many low-level boxers, Rocky’s low-tech gym and makeshift training equipment are all too familiar, as is his grueling daily run through early morning rain and snow. It’s part of what made Rocky such a success not just in movie theaters, but with boxing communities the world over.

By accurately representing the less-than-glamorous side of boxing, Rocky and its sequels proved to be authentic estimations of the average boxer’s experience of the sport. Add to that the fact that Rocky Balboa was based on a real fighter and Rocky on a true story, and the result rings surprisingly true with the boxers in the audience. This authenticity is tied up with the character of Rocky himself – he’s a sympathetic everyman who gets by on his heart and hard work – making his movies the obvious backbone of the franchise.

Creed Paints An Idealistic Picture Of The Boxing World

Despite spinning off from the Rocky franchise, the Creed films feel somewhat less authentic. It’s not that they’re inaccurate, but they lack the same realism as the Rocky movies, with the character rising through the ranks all too quickly. This paints the boxing world in a slightly different light to the Rocky movies: it may be subtle, but there’s a distinct change in direction.

The Creed franchise still features real-life fighters (just like Rocky did before it), but it’s a franchise that feels more manufactured for the big screen than Rocky. It’s worth noting that much of Creed‘s action is actually more realistic than Rocky‘s (with noticeably superior boxing technique), but the presentation of its world is less authentic. It might seem counterintuitive, but boxing is a sport steeped in tradition, and the Creed franchise only touches upon some of the superstitious boxing training practices that real-life fighters still undergo in the same way that Rocky always did.

Rocky’s Origins Are Relatable

It’s not just in Rocky‘s depiction of the boxing world that it’s realistic. Rocky Balboa almost instantly became a pop culture icon, and part of that is owing to his relatable nature. At the time of his introduction, Rocky’s boxing career isn’t overly impressive: with 43 wins and 20 losses, he’s hardly breaking records. However, this is part of what makes the character so iconic, and it played a major part in Rocky‘s success.

The franchise started out as an underdog story, with Rocky only picked to fight Apollo Creed because he had the right background. Adonis Creed, on the other hand, starts his franchise as an unbeaten fighter – something that instantly makes him less of an everyman and sets him up to be a larger-than-life figure cut from a different cloth than his father’s one-time rival, Rocky. Rocky being more relatable as a character makes his movies all the more enjoyable, as it’s far easier to feel sympathy from someone who is forced to wear their defeats on their sleeve like Rocky Balboa.

Creed’s Story Is Built On Nepotism

It’s somewhat established within the movies that Apollo Creed is the Rocky franchise’s best fighter, and as his son, Adonis is afforded a certain amount of respect. This is integral to the Creed movies, as Adonis learns to operate in (and attempt to move out of) his father’s shadow, but ultimately, it sees the spin-off franchise’s story stem from inherent nepotism. After all, Adonis has taken a limited number of questionable low-level fights in Mexico when he’s introduced, and it’s only through his lineage that he’s awarded a chance at more lucrative opportunities.

While this sadly does represent modern professional boxing in many ways, it makes for a far less satisfying narrative. After his parentage is revealed, Adonis is given access to high-end training facilities and greater opportunities, like fighting Tony Bellew’s “Pretty” Ricky Conlan for the light heavyweight title. While Creed does briefly touch upon Adonis’ reluctance to accept that nepotism, he ultimately relents, which makes Creed’s journey far less relatable than Rocky Balboa’s was before it.

Why Creed Can Never Fill Rocky’s Shoes (& Why That’s Okay)

With all that in mind, it’s clear that Adonis Creed will never take over from Rocky Balboa as the most iconic movie boxer, owing to a number of real-world factors. Not only does the Creed name make the fighter’s story less relatable than Rocky’s, but it also makes for a very different narrative that feels considerably less inspiring. The Creed movies might contain a number of homages to and returning characters from the Rocky franchise, but Creed still exists in Rocky‘s shadow just as Adonis exists in Apollo’s.

This is actually fitting, though, as it draws parallels with real-life boxing. Much like the ideas behind Creed and Rocky, the past is treated with a certain reverence, whereas modern boxing is plagued with cries of corruption and politics. While the Creed franchise might never quite live up to Rocky, it still works well as a spiritual successor, and still acts as an enjoyable representation of the boxing world.

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