Creed 4 has gone a while without any major updates, leading some fans of the beloved sporting franchise to worry that it may not happen after all. The film is officially in the early stages of development, but in the two years since Creed 3 was released, there have been no updates or confirmations about cast, story, or filming dates. However, recent comments by Michael B. Jordan suggest that Creed 4’s confirmation may not be as solid as audiences were hoping.

Additionally, Michael B. Jordan is extremely busy with his upcoming remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, which he’s supposed to be directing. This will take up plenty of time that could have been used on Creed 4, and given how pᴀssionate the actor/filmmaker is about the Rocky spinoff franchise, the fact that he signed on for The Thomas Crown Affair likely means that Creed 4 is lacking momentum. Admittedly, this can be a cause for concern. So many projects have been stuck in development hell, and Creed 4 falling into the same categrory would be disappointing.

Michael B. Jordan Doesn’t Want To Make Creed 4 “Just To Make It”

The Movie Should Only Be Made If There’s A Good Idea

If there’s going to be a fourth movie in the Creed franchise, lead star Michael B. Jordan believes that it will be born of necessity — not greed or laziness. The idea of making Creed 4 “just to make it” seems like a depressing idea given all the creative spirit that’s gone into the previous three movies, so the producers want to avoid this at all costs. This series was clearly a pᴀssion project for Jordan, and you can definitely feel that through the strength of the storytelling.

Jordan’s stance on making Creed 4 is a huge relief, because it means that this franchise won’t be sucked dry or spread too thin. This often happens when filmmakers are forced to keep making sequels despite having no intention of continuing the story, and it’s encouraging that Jordan is aware of this problem and working actively to avoid it. The Creed sequels have always felt more cinematic and pᴀssionate than most of the Rocky ones, so this is the perfect time to stop while they’re ahead.

The Later Rocky Movies Struggled To Justify Their Existence

Creed Is Actively Working Against This Disappointing Fate

Although Rocky is often viewed as one of the all-time great sports movies, this same status can’t be applied to some of the later sequels. Rocky 2 is a fairly strong follow-up that does a good job of expanding this story with new characters and complex backstories, but the third movie ultimately fell victim to the same lack of pᴀssion that Michael B. Jordan was describing regarding Creed 4. It’s much better to stop now than accidentally make the Rocky 3 of the Creed franchise.

However, the reason that the Rocky movies began to decrease in quality is that they valued increased action and higher stakes above rich character work and development. This is a common problem that’s never applied to Creed, which has consistently put its characters first and ensured that each pᴀssing movie served a clear purpose for its protagonist and his family. Creed is a better series than Rocky on the whole, so there’s no reason that it couldn’t keep being so good.

I’m Fine With Creed 4 Taking A While If It Means Maintaining The Franchise’s Quality

The Crew Should Take Their Time To Make A Great Sequel

Ultimately, Michael B. Jordan is right. The quality of the Creed sequels is infinitely more important than their quanтιтy, and if it takes several years for Creed 4 to see the light of day, that just means that extra care is being put into the story. Those who truly care about Adonis’ story and want to see it reach its full potential shouldn’t be disappointed by the lack of movement in Creed 4, but should rather be encouraged that Jordan and the rest of the crew are clearly so fixated on getting it right.

Following the emotional ending of Creed 3, it’s not exactly clear where the franchise will go. While that can be daunting, it’s also an exciting period, as the series can craft an entirely new chapter. That sequel clearly ended with the notion in mind that it could be the last, wrapping up Adonis’ story in a way that is both satisfying on its own while leaving the door open for a return in the future. This means there’s no immediate need for the character to return, and Creed 4 can take as long as it takes.