Creed has been following a similar arc to the Rocky movies from the start, which could mean that some of the framework for Creed IV has already been established. The original Rocky movies began releasing in 1976, when Sylvester Stallone was still a young man. The success of the franchise led to massive expansion with the release of five direct sequels throughout the next three decades, and eventually a spin-off franchise which follows the son of Rocky’s former rival-turned-friend, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
Creed was a pivotal part of the original franchise, where he played a prominent role in the first four movies. Apollo and Rocky went toe-to-toe in the ring on multiple occasions, and despite losing to Creed initially, Balboa was able to claim the title in their second match. However, Rocky IV marked a big moment for Rocky when his friend, Creed, is fatally injured during a match with Ivan Drago. With Rocky IV featuring this huge moment, and Creed’s tendency to follow a similar pattern to the original franchise, there are several things that could likely happen in Creed IV.
Rocky IV starts out with Apollo choosing to come out of retirement in order to fight Ivan Drago. Considering the relationship shifted so much between Apollo and Rocky, Apollo asks for Rocky to be his coach as he prepares for the fight, and in his corner during the fight. Rocky believes Apollo should remain retired, but regardless of his opinions, he chooses to help his friend. The scenes clearly display growth, love and mutual respect between these two champions, but ultimately, Creed chooses to fight, and will not let Rocky throw in the towel.
However, Apollo is unable to withstand the brute force of Drago and ends up dying shortly after the match thanks to his injuries. Creed IV is likely to replicate such an emotional moment for the franchise. The most likely candidate to replace Apollo in the sequel is Rocky, but considering the distance between Stallone and the production, it seems unlikely. Alternatively, Creed IV could see the younger Drago losing his life either through recklessness, or possibly pride, just like Apollo. In both cases, these are men that Donnie respects, and he would be upset about their passing.
In Rocky, an ordinary man progresses and literally fights to get the respect he deserves. After he proves his abilities, and makes enough money to provide for his family, Rocky shifts his focus to training. Rocky may be young, but he recognizes the chances of him retaining the belt would decline over time. Rocky, like Apollo, had already taken steps away to focus on family and supporting others who needed his help and guidance. However, Rocky is not one to lie down and accept defeat, and he continues to find reasons to return to the ring and fight, like with Drago.
Similarly, Donnie is also someone who is retired from boxing after making a small fortune, and wanting to enjoy his life with his loved ones. But staying at home and watching the fights on TV is not nearly as satisfying as seeing the heroes rise up to the challenge of their rivals. Donnie has already come out of retirement to fight his former friend, Damien Anderson. This shows that while Donnie closed the door on boxing, the ring has certainly not forgotten him. Some rising star, or other unworthy champion is likely to appear, and drag Donnie out of his cozy retirement.
Rocky and Adrian faced more than their fair share of issues. Rocky’s romantic relationships were never central to the narrative of Rocky, but they helped to improve the wider story and humanize Rocky when he was on the brink of becoming less of an underdog. Rocky’s charm comes from his down-to-earth mentality and the kindness and love that he expresses for his community. But there is often tension between Rocky and Adrian which is explored in each entry, and Rocky IV was no different.
In Creed, Donnie and Bianca are building a life for themselves too, as they both pursue their careers. If Creed IV hopes to follow this same template, they have already done a great job in the preceding movies. Donnie and Bianca are clearly madly in love, but their fiery personalities can clash a lot. Donnie is doing all he can to be the best father to his daughter Amara, but tensions still arise. This appears to be an almost inevitable part of the upcoming film, but it’s pivotal for both Rocky and Creed as they struggle to maintain their relationships.
In Rocky IV, while Apollo is seen getting into shape in the freezing cold of the Russian countryside, Ivan Drago prepares with the most advanced computers, technology, and monitors to deliver deadly punches. Considering the movie that came out in 1985, Ivan’s training setup appeared outside of this world. However, times have changed a lot since the film came out and many more fighters prepare with similar equipment. With Donnie amassing a significant fortune from his winning fights, he has all the access he needs to train like Drago, and improve his setup to the extreme.
Despite this, new ways to train are being developed everyday, and Donnie may have fallen out of pace in his retirement. While some of Donnie’s rivals have trained under elite boxers, there could be several ways that technology could enhance and boost their training, resulting in one of the best prepared fighters in any match of the franchise. From technology to replay and break down fights, to holograms, or virtual sparring partners, some wealthy new fighter or someone with a powerful benefactor could challenge Donnie, and present the best prepared fighter on his career so far.
Rocky IV sees Rocky travel to Russia to prepare for his boxing match against Drago. This is the first time that Rocky is seen fighting outside of America, and the last in the series, but it adds a larger sense of scale to the story. Yes, it is an extension of the evil Russian stereotype from the film, but it also provides for a great moment as Rocky begins his fight with Drago and the crowd has no great love for him. Back home, Rocky is a beloved figure, and the crowd adores him, but here, Rocky has to earn respect.
Creed is a more modern series, with a larger scale and higher stakes, which has seen Donnie fight in England, South Africa, and Russia. However, the matches typically occur in these locations, while much of the rest of the story is set in the States. Creed IV could follow Rocky IV’s example and have Donnie travel away, preparing for the fight in unfamiliar territory. The story would definitely benefit from getting Donnie out of his comfort zone, especially considering he has long been retired at this point, and is being dragged into yet another fight he doesn’t want to partake in.
In Rocky IV, the match between Rocky and Ivan Drago went on for the full duration of 15 rounds. This grueling endurance match between two peak athletes was harrowing and, as the time wore on, it became harder and harder to watch. Much of the time, matches are won earlier due to knock-outs, or one contestant throwing in the towel, so 15 rounds is rare as it stands. However, the duration of the match also served to show just how dedicated both Balboa and Drago were to their craft, never yielding and pushing to the end.
In modern boxing, the total number of rounds that can be fought is 12, and Creed has actually had a couple of full 12 round matches. Most recently, in Creed III, when he fought against his old friend Damien Anderson. While it might be less likely for Creed IV to feature a 12-round battle immediately after the events of Creed III, it could still be done in a way that would leave a lasting impression and make sense for the narrative.
In Rocky IV, Robert is just 9 years old, but despite his young age, he idolizes his father. Robert watches his father’s fight with Ivan on the TV, eagerly cheering for his father to win. This shows that Robert had a great deal of respect and love for his father, and likely viewed boxing as a noble and respectable sport. However, his opinions clearly changed in later films, where his relationship with his father is much more strained and Robert rejects Rocky.
Creed III similarly showed Amara looking up to her father Donnie and expressing a desire to be like him. At her young age, Amara viewed her father’s success in boxing as something to be proud of, and she wanted to follow that example and become a boxer herself. Creed IV could certainly expand on this desire from the young girl as she sets out on a journey to develop her own career and become an elite boxer with worldwide renown, just like her father.