Exclusive: ‘Creed III’ Stars Talk Working With Michael B. Jordan as a Director In New Featurette

Michael B. Jordan is stepping into his biggest role yet with Creed III.

While audiences have fallen in love with him through his roles in the first two films of this franchise as well as his performances in Black Panther and Fruitvale Station, this time around Jordan will take on a new title —director. Creed III, which is hitting theaters on Friday, March 3, is Jordan’s directorial debut and it’s a strong place to start. His experience playing Adonis Creed since 2015 has helped guide his ideas and process of how he wanted to approach the third. Ryan Coogler directed the first and Steven Caple Jr. directed the second and they all added their own stamp to the Rocky films franchise and now it’s Jordan’s turn.

“I had a clear vision of what I wanted this story to be and where I wanted the Creed family to go,” Jordan says in an exclusive featurette titled “Stepping Into The Ring” about him directing the movie. “I had an incredible community of directors who were very willing to pass on knowledge to me—Denzel, Steven Caple, Ryan Coogler—people, who, you know, have done it once or twice.”

Jordan’s aim was to take it to the next level with this film, both visually and with the storytelling. He has also brought on new cast members, like Jonathan Majors, Selenis Leyva, and Mila Davis Kent, while continuing to develop the rest of the characters from the first two. “Mike has done such an incredible job directing this film. He has the spirit to bring a group of people together,” his costar Tessa Thompson says in the clip. “He’s incredibly disciplined. Getting to see him approach the work in almost an athletic way was just an honor to get to watch.”  

You can watch the full featurette up above, and be sure to catch Creed III in theaters in March.