MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
EXCLUSIVE: Creed has already broken ground for Amazon with the latest installment in the MGM film franchise, creed III, achieving a $100 million+ worldwide opening and setting a box office record for the tech giant. Now Belief could spawn an Amazon universe encompassing both film and TV. There have been meetings with franchise star and filmmaker Michael B. Jordan on several Belief-related projects over the past year, sources said. Plans for the scope of the universe have become more daring over time Creed III’s big debut. Amazon and Jordan representatives declined to comment.
Details are sketchy as some talks are still in an exploratory stage, but we’re hearing an anime series has been connected to the rocky spin-off IP is in the works and there are ideas for a companion live-action TV series. A possible project has also been lurking around Adonis Creed’s daughter, Amara, who was played by deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent in Creed IIImaking her acting debut in film.
As previously announced, there is one Drago spin-off movie in the works at MGM, written by Robert Lawton. The spin-off would center around Rocky Balboa’s enemy, Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), and his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), who was introduced as Creed’s opponent in Creed II. There was some chatter that the Drago offshoot could become a series, but according to sources, the intention is still to keep it as a movie. So far, a script has been ordered and it is still unclear whether it will be made.
Of course there is also the prospect of more Belief feature episodes, with several other ideas also thrown in for live action and animated films.
Jordan told Deadline on the last week Creed III premiere that “building the Belief universe is something I am very excited about.” Through three movies, the Belief franchise is approaching the half-billion mark at the global box office.
Building a Creed universe could be a test case that shows Amazon’s ambitions for MGM, which the company acquired for $8.5 billion. Since the deal closed a year ago, Amazon Studios has been actively talking about mining IP’s MGM library, starting with 007’s road to a milliona competitive reality series based on the iconic spy, which was immediately greenlit after the transaction was completed.
And there’s the mothership rocky franchise. There’s nothing tangible yet, but there have been on and off conversations for years about exploring the iconic boxer’s story — including his origins — long before MGM was acquired by Amazon. If and when something comes together, it’s expected that the creator and star of the franchise, Sylvester Stallone, will be involved.