The first trailer for "Creed," the official spin-off film of the "Rocky" franchise, was released last Tuesday and it lets fans have their first good look at young boxer Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he travels to Philadelphia to ask none other than Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train him.
According to the film's official synopsis and the trailer, Adonis is Apollo Creed's (Carl Weather) son. Apollo died at the hands of Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in "Rocky IV."
According to a report from Entertainment Weekly, Rocky Balboa has retired for good from boxing, which makes his exhibition match in the sixth film his last bout in the ring. Scenes in the trailer reveal that Rocky is now focusing solely on his restaurant which is named in honor of his late wife.
There are a few snippets of tributes to the older films in the "Rocky" franchise such as when a trainer tells Adonis, "Your daddy in the ring," to which the latter replies, "That got nothin' to do with me."
Another small snippet occurs when Adonis meets Rocky for the first time. He comments on a photo hanging in the restaurant, saying, "I heard about a third fight between you and Apollo behind close doors, is that true?" This is a reference to the fight between Apollo and Rocky at the end of "Rocky III."
The film is the second collaboration between Jordan and director Ryan Coogler. They previously worked together for "Fruitvale Station," a film which was based on the final hours and death of Oscar Grant, a youth who was killed by police officers at the Fruitvale Bay Area Rapid Transit station in Oakland, California.
"Creed" opens in theaters on Nov. 25.
