How do you reboot a beloved franchise which millions of fans worldwide hold nothing short of sacred? Respect and talent come to mind … and Michael B. Jordan in the title role doesn’t hurt either. Ryan Coogler had all of those in Creed, the film which both pays tribute to the Rocky saga and gives renewed creative impulse to the series with a story in which the hero baton is passed from Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character to Jordan’s Adonis Creed, the illegitimate son of Rocky’s early rival Apollo. Coogler, who garnered wide acclaim for his previous effort, Fruitvale Station, is a lifelong Rocky fan and approached Stallone with the idea even before shooting his first film. He tells the HFPA how this was truly a labor of love while Michael B. Jordan explains how it was like to have the Italian Stallion in his corner.

Luca Celada