Apollo Creed is back, and some fans now want Creed 3 to include Clubber Lang storyline.
Creed 3 star Michael B. Jordan unveiled a first look at the upcoming Creed sequel on Twitter with a trio of striking images, showing Apollo and new rival Anderson Dame (Jonathan Majors) taking to the ring.
“You can’t run… from your past,” reads the tagline, leading some fans to speculate that Dame could be connected to the Rocky III character, Clubber Lang (Mr. T). After all, the series hasn't been shy about reintroducing characters from the past - even seeing Ivan Drago return with his son in the last movie.
3/3/23 #creed3 pic.twitter.com/HnlaL9SlU4
— Michael B. Jordan (@michaelb4jordan) October 17, 2022
Clubber Lang first appeared in Rocky III back in 1982, played by the inimitable Mr. T. Lang was a professional boxer from Chicago, Illinois, and one-time world heavyweight champion, taking the title from Rocky Balboa only to lose it back to Balboa in their next fight.
Lang was said to be loosely based on a combination of real-life boxers Sonny Liston, Larry Holmes, and George Foreman. Despite his popularity, Lang bowed out of the Rocky franchise after one appearance – only appearing briefly in Rocky IV during a recap of the earlier fight.
Some think this movie will weave in that history in some respect. "Getting serious Clubber Lang vibes from Jonathan Majors," wrote a Twitter user. “Would it be crazy if that's Clubber [Lang's] kid” said another.
Unlike Drago's connection to Creed in the last movie, there’s no real connection between Lang and Apollo’s dad, Adonis Creed, however, and other fans think this will simply be a storyline about Apollo's own past, not that of the franchise:
“Can't run from your past...we already did Drago,” said one Twitter user. “Creed had no actual connection to Clubber Lang so I don't think that's it...were they in juvie or a group home together? Bet that's it.”
Considering Sylvester Stallone won’t be heading back for Creed 3 this feels like a good time for Apollo to strike out on his own, as well as face a more personal story that’s about him and not his father or his trainer.
Want to read more about Creed 3? Find out why Stallone isn’t returning for Creed 3 and why Stallone is campaigning to get his Rocky rights back.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
source https://www.ign.com/articles/creed-3-michael-b-jordan-first-look-clubber-lang