Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors go toe to toe in first Creed 3 trailer

Michael B. Jordan's Adonis is forced to confront his dark past in the tense first trailer for Creed 3. For the trilogy capper, the Marvel actor takes over directorial duties from Black Panther's Ryan Coogler and Steven Cable Jr. – as his character steps into the ring with one of his most formidable opponents yet, his former friend, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors).

Scripted by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin, from a story they co-wrote with Ryan Coogler, the movie picks up seven years after the events of Creed 2. In it, boxing champ Adonis and musician Bianca (Thor: Love and Thunder's Tessa Thompson), both juggling their super successful careers while raising their deaf daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), find their flashy life threatened when Donnie's childhood pal Damian shows up out of nowhere. Turns out, the latter is harboring one hell of a grudge.

"You don't remember me, huh?" Damian asks in the promo, which you can watch above, before Donnie twigs and a flashback suggests the pair ran into some trouble with the police when they were youngsters. "How long were you locked up?" Donnie quizzes Damian.

"18 years, bro," he replies. "Just got out last week. I know I've been away for a while, but I kept myself in shape. Got gas in the tank." As Donnie invites him to come by the gym, it becomes clear these two aren't going to be training buddies...

In a later scene, Damian claims "he was the best" but he never got a chance to prove that because he was sent to jail, while Donnie got to live out both of their dreams. "You think you're mad," he shouts. "Trying spending half your life in a cell, watching somebody else live your life. I'm coming for everything!"

Looks like he's not interested in playing fair, either. As he prepares to fight Donnie, he lays into another boxer during practice and despite several warnings, has to be dragged off. "Damian's tryna hurt people," another character states. Given his rage, Donnie is going to have to give it all he's got to beat him and not end up like his late father, Apollo, who lost his life at the hands of rival Ivan Drago.

Talking about the time jump during a press event prior to the teaser's unveiling, Jordan told Total Film: "It was important to get to a pivotal point in Donnie's career, and Bianca's career. We've seen them fall in love, we've seen them create life and a family together. I wanted to get to the next crossroads for them and to explore the choices that come along with that. It was... not specific, but it was a reflection of where I was in my life. Professionally, personally, and I felt like I had a lot to say around that."

Creed 3 also stars Phylicia Rashad as Donnie's adoptive mother Mary Anne, Selenis Leyva, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Spence Moore II, Canelo Álvarez, Wood Harris, and Florian Munteanu, who's back as Viktor Drago. It releases in US cinemas on March 3, 2023.

While we wait, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies coming our way throughout the rest of 2022 and beyond.