It once seemed impossible that any movie in the long-running boxing franchise would top the first Rocky film, but then 2015’s Creed came along and shocked audiences. The first Rocky movie was released in 1976 and was instantly celebrated as an iconic sports film, eventually winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The success of the Sylvester Stallone-led boxing film led to eight more movies in the Rocky/Creed franchise. While many of the Rocky sequels included iconic moments, none of them experienced the same level of acclaim as the first film.

After 2006’s Rocky Balboa, the franchise was considered to be ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, especially since Stallone was too old to play a believable boxer. However, 2015’s Creed revitalized the franchise. Creed introduces audiences to Adonis, the son of former heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed, who was played by Carl Weathers in the first four Rocky movies. Creed successfully honored the legacy of the Rocky franchise, and proved that the long-running series could continue through a new protagonist. In fact, Creed actually manages to use Rocky’s iconic theme song “Gonna Fly Now” better than the original movie did.

Creed Sampling “Gonna Fly Now” At The End Was Incredibly Cathartic

Creed Waited To Use Rocky’s Iconic Theme Song

“Gonna Fly Now” is the theme song of the first Rocky movie and its subsequent sequels. In the first film, the song is first heard during the training montage during which Rocky runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This is not only the most memorable moment from the first Rocky film, but also one of the best moments in cinematic history. After the success of the first movie, the Rocky franchise became known for its training montages. Therefore, it was obvious that Creed would also include a training montage.

However, the training montages in Creed did not feature “Gonna Fly Now.” Instead, the film doesn’t use the Rocky theme until the very end of the movie. “Gonna Fly Now” is finally played in Creed after Rocky reᴀssures Adonis that he is a Creed. Before the final round of Adonis’ fight against Ricky Conlan, Rocky tells him he loves him and promises that he’s going to fight his cancer. This inspires Adonis to rise up and continue his fight against Ricky Conlan. As he stands up, “Gonna Fly Now” finally plays, culminating decades worth of stories in the franchise.

Creed Was Smart Not To Use Rocky’s Theme Until The Very End

“Gonna Gly Now” Wouldn’t Have Been As Effective During An Earlier Scene In Creed

After five Rocky sequels, many of which were not well-received, Creed was facing an uphill battle. The film had the incredibly tough task of convincing audiences to root for a protagonist that wasn’t Rocky. Even though Rocky was an extremely important character in the movie, there was a lot of pressure on Michael B. Jordan to follow in Stallone’s footsteps. This is echoed in the story of the movie, as Adonis is worried that he will never be as good as his father. Adonis finally reveals this to Rocky at the end of the movie, which prompts his inspiring speech.

Creed using “Gonna Fly Now” at any other point in the movie would have felt like the film desperately wanted to recapture the magic of Rocky. However, by the time it finally does play at the end of the movie, Adonis Creed has proven that he is a worthy successor to Rocky. “Gonna Fly Now” plays right after the emotional climax of the film, and ensures that viewers will be on the edge of their seats during the final round of boxing between Adonis Creed and Ricky Conlan.

Creed’s “Gonna Fly Now” Moment Only Works Because Of How Iconic Rocky Is

The First Rocky Movie Led To “Gonna Fly Now” Being An Iconic & Motivational Song

Even though Creed’s use of “Gonna Fly Now” may be better than Rocky’s, it only works so well because of how iconic the training montage in Rocky is. Creed wouldn’t have existed if the first Rocky movie was not such a success. Not only did the 1976 film introduce the world to the тιтular boxer, but also to Apollo Creed. The rivalry and eventual friendship between Rocky and Apollo led to several iconic cinematic moments. Even after his death in Rocky IV, Apollo’s lasting impact on the series proved that the franchise could continue with a Creed movie.

Adonis Creed was perhaps the perfect character to continue the long-running boxing franchise with. Not only does he have a familial connection to Apollo, but the story of Creed also brings him and Rocky together. Throughout Creed, Adonis and Rocky form a father-son relationship with each other, and it is evident that they both truly love each other. Through Adonis and Rocky’s relationship, Creed successfully honors one of the most important relationships that began in the iconic first Rocky movie.

The Creed Franchise Has Been Very Clever With Its Rocky References

The Creed Movies Are Not Afraid To Reference Rocky

The success of 2015’s Creed has led to several sequels. Two more movies have been released in the series, and a fourth Creed film has also been confirmed. The Creed series wouldn’t be as successful if it didn’t honor the Rocky franchise in the proper way. It would have been very easy for the Creed films to stuff as many Rocky references in as possible just to appease fans, but this ultimately would not have been good for the story. Instead of relying on the success of the Rocky series, Creed has successfully created its own iconic moments.

This is not to say that the Creed movies never reference Rocky. They have just been super smart about their references. For example, not long after “Gonna Fly Now” plays in Creed, Adonis and Rocky visit the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art together. This scene is not included until the very end of Creed because the film had to earn this moment. Overall, just like the use of “Gonna Fly Now,” the Creed series has been very smart with references to Rocky, which proves that a lot of effort and care is put into the films.