The Rocky franchise is beloved by many movie and boxing aficionados across the world. The series spawned six installments, each different from the rest. Of course, as with every successful movie saga, the audiences wanted more.
Creed is more than just a sequel to the Rocky franchise. It’s best described as a re-telling of the classic 1977 film for a new generation.
Sylvester Stallone does indeed return for the seventh film, and he is joined by up and coming actor Michael B. Jordan. The two combine to deliver an absolutely breathtaking film. In fact, it has been so well received that there has been significant Oscar buzz for both actors.
Stallone was nominated twice (Best Actor, Best Writing ) for the 1977 original. It was the only Academy Award nomination for Stallone in his long and illustrious career. Creed took his acting to an entirely new level. One could argue that his seventh portrayal of Rocky was his best yet.
Michael B. Jordan isn’t a stranger to critical acclaim. He received high praise for his starring role in 2013’s Fruitvale Station, but ultimately was left out of the Oscar party. A nomination for Creed would mark the first of his young career.
There is still an great deal of time before the Oscar nominees are revealed, but the pair of Stallone and Jordan are a real threat to land a Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Jordan faces stuff competition in the Best Actor category from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Matt Damon (The Martian) and last year’s Best Actor winner, Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl). The remaining two spots are seemingly up for grabs.
Despite the possibility of winning the coveted award, the real honor for Jordan is the nomination itself. He isn’t expected to overtake any of the three Hollywood heavyweights, but he can definitely cement himself as one of the next great cinema superstars.
Stallone has a better odds to walk away with an Academy Award than his co-star does. The 69-year-old is currently projected by Indiewire to be the heavy front-runner for Best Supporting Actor. His fiercest competition comes from Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton, who will likely both be nominated for their roles in Spotlight.
It’s unlikely Creed will win all of the prestigious awards at the Oscars. Currently, it has been pegged for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Best Film. The consensus amongst critics is that Creed is on the borderline of being nominated for three of the four, with Stallone seemingly a lock to land a Best Supporting Actor nom.
It remains to be seen if Can Creed defy the odds and win big on Oscar night, but it would make for a great underdog story if it could.