Everything to Know About 'Creed III'

JC Olivera/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

The Rocky franchise is getting a ninth movie as Creed III is headed to theaters next month.

Though this will be the first film in franchise history that won't feature original star Sylvester Stallone, trailers for the movie show it will still be filled with the grit, romance and compelling fight scenes fans have come to love.

And fans of the Creed series will see plenty of familiar faces from the first two films, including Michael B. Jordan, who not only is reprising his role as Adonis Creed, but will be making his directorial debut with this film.

From new and returning faces to the release date, here's everything you need to know about Creed III.

RELATED: Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors Meet in the Boxing Ring in 'Creed III' First Trailer

What is Creed III about?

JC Olivera/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

While the first movie was about learning where he came from and the second was about reconciling with the past, Creed III is about dealing with the pieces of your past that follow you no matter how far you get in life.

In this third installation, Adonis' childhood friend and boxing prodigy, Damian (played by Jonathan Majors) comes back from prison, eager to prove himself a boxing champ in his own right.

The two boxers' paths cross when Damian transitions from being a trainee waiting for an opportunity to an antagonist who wants everything that Adonis has. Drama ensues and the two (literally) come to blows.

Who is in Creed III?

Paras Griffin/Getty

In addition to Jordan and Majors, Phylicia Rashad returns as Adonis' mother, Tessa Thompson reprises her role as his wife and Wood Harris will play his trainer again.

One noticeable face that'll be missing in action is Stallone, who bowed out of the third film very early on.

"That's a regretful situation because I know what it could have been," Stallone told The Hollywood Reporter. "It was taken in a direction that is quite different than I would've taken it."

He further alluded to creative differences behind the scenes, telling the outlet, "I'm much more of a sentimentalist. I like my heroes getting beat up, but I just don't want them going into that dark space."

Who directed Creed III?

Eli Ade/MGM

PEOPLE's 2020 Sexiest Man Alive is making his directorial debut with Creed III. The actor, who's been with the character for nearly a decade believes he's in the best position to finally take the helm on this one.

"I finally got to this place in my career where I really wanted to tell a story, you know, and not just be in front of the camera, not just execute somebody else's vision," he said during a virtual Q&A last October. "And having a character that I've played twice before, you know it's been 7, 8 years living with this guy, so to be able to tell a story of where I believe Adonis is at."

Maturing also played a factor in his decision. He told reporters, "At 35 years old, I had a lot to say as a young man, as a young Black man, just my life experiences and how I could actually share that, share a piece of myself with the world through these characters and through this story."

Ryan Coogler, who created the spinoff franchise, wrote the script along with his brother, Keenan. Ryan and Jordan also serve as producers on the project.

Is there a trailer for Creed III?

Yes, the first trailer for the film was released in October and another dropped during the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

When will Creed III come out?

Creed III hits theaters March 3.

Will there be other movies after Creed III?

The prospect of a fourth installment of Creed is currently unknown.

However, in July 2022, reports came out that a separate spinoff following another character from the Rocky movies was in the works.

According to The Wrap, the potential project titled Drago would chronicle the relationship between Russian boxer Ivan Drago — played by Dolph Lundgren) in 1985's Rocky IV — and his son Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) who appeared in 2018's Creed 2.

Lundgren himself alluded to the possibility of a spinoff during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.

"By the way, I think there's some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM. So you may get more of that," he said.

Following the news, Stallone spoke out against the potential new movie as he was not involved in the process, writing in a since-deleted Instagram that the news was "another heartbreaker" and that producers were "picking clean THE BONES of another wonderful character I created without even telling me…"

Lundgren was quick to support his longtime friend, writing on Instagram, "Just to set the record straight regarding a possible Drago spinoff. There's no approved script, no deals in place, no director and I was personally under the impression that my friend Sly Stallone was involved as a producer or even as an actor."

He went on to assure fans that all was well between him and Stallone: "There was a press leak last week which was unfortunate. In touch with Mr Balboa - just so all the fans can relax… There ya go."