The upcomingCreedspinoffDelphihas the opportunity to address the biggest missing element from the movies.Creeddebuted in 2015, a spinoff of theRockyseries, coming out 9 years after the last movie.Directed by Ryan Cooglerand starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, the movie spawned an entire new franchise.CreedIIIhad Jordan not only star, but direct his first feature film. Since then, it has been announced that multiple spinoff projects were in the works, including comic books, an anime, and a TV series.
Delphiwill be the first live-action spinoff and will be based out of the Delphi Boxing Academy, a gym where Apollo (Carl Weathers) and Adonis Creed trained. Marco Ramirez (The Defenders) will act as the showrunner and Jordan will be an executive producer. The series will follow other up-and-coming boxers who are also training at the gym. No cast members have been announced yet, and it isunknown if Jordan will appear as Adonis. However,Delphihas an opportunity to follow up on something theCreedmovieshave only briefly touched on.
Apollo Has Two Other Children
The TV Show Can Fully Introduce Them
In theRockymovies,Apollo is shown having two children with his wife, Mary Anne. The result of an affair, Adonis is not introduced untilCreed. Apollo’s children with Mary Anne are rarely seen, only being shown in brief moments running through his home. They are featured so little, their names are never even mentioned. However, these flashes of Apollo’s home life establish him as a father. Following Apollo’s death inRocky IV, Mary Anne takes Adonis into her home and raises him with her children.
Creed IIImentions Apollo’s other childrenin passing, saying that Adonis is not close to them. WithDelphi, there is a chance to fully introduce them into the universe, especially if Adonis doesn’t make any appearance, or possibly only a cameo. These characters essentially have a blank slate and can be built up into something new. With the series taking place at the gym Apollo trained at,it would make sense for his other children to have some kind of connection to their father’s past.
The Creed Movies Almost Entirely Ignoring Them Is A Weird Choice
Their Absence Has Been Noteable
Mary Anne never makes a reference to her children across the threeCreedmovies. It’s especially strange considering she passed away andthere is no indication that they attended her funeral. An argument can be made that they were there, andCreed IIIsimply didn’t have time to address another storyline, but it’s ultimately a strange choice.
The franchise has shifted its focus onto Adonis, and rightfully so. However, given how much Adonis wants to connect with his late father, it’s odd that his siblings never enter the movies. Given their name and wealth, it can be assumed that Apollo’s children are well off and may have some level of influence. They could be brought in either as protagonists or antagonists in the new series. They also provide an opportunity to have a deeper connection to the Creed name in the show.
The more theCreedmovies ignore Apollo’s other children, the more glaring the issue becomes.
As theCreeduniverse expands into other mediums, it’s worth noting thatApollo’s other children appeared in the comic book spinoffCreed: The Next Round, which takes place 10 years after the events ofCreed III. Jordan served as a creative director on the comic, but if it remains in canon will be determined by other parts of the franchise. They are given names for the first time in the comics: Alexander and Artemis.
The more theCreedmovies ignore Apollo’s other children, the more glaring the issue becomes. WithDelphi, the franchise could bring them into the story and finally address the hanging plot thread that has hung over the movies for a decade.
Delphi
Delphi marks the first live-action series within the Creed Universe, centering on a new generation of fighters training at the iconic Delphi gym.
