Creed 3 Can Tell The Villain Story Rocky Completely Failed At

Creed III’s new villain, Damian, revives a villain story already told in Rocky V with Tommy Gunn but which could be much better than the original.

The introduction of Damian in Creed 3 offers the chance to tell an intimate villain story that is similar to but potentially better than the Tommy Gunn villain arc in Rocky V. Creed III is the latest installment in Michael B. Jordan’s revival of the Rocky franchise in which Jordan’s Adonis “Donnie” Creed becomes a successful boxer under the tutelage of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. In the new film, Donnie’s old friend Damian enters the ring as the latest in a long line of Rocky villains.

Throughout the Rocky franchise, various different competitors have challenged both Rocky and Donnie to major boxing matches. Some of these fighters appeared unexpectedly and with a significant challenge like Apollo Creed or “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, giving Rocky or Donnie the chance to prove themselves as local boxers. Other opponents, like Ivan Drago, made themselves known as boxers to be beaten, or even worse, people who revenge must be taken out on. There’s one other type of villain that has appeared in the Rocky franchise only once in Rocky V, and will now make its second debut in Creed III, which is the boxer who starts as a friend but eventually becomes the enemy.

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Creed 3’s Villain Story Is Personal – Like Rocky V’s Was

Creed III introduces a villain that is not just a random boxer from another city but is a personal friend with whom Donnie creates a close relationship, making their rivalry even harder to handle. This form of villain story appeared in Rocky V when Rocky began training eventual villain Tommy Gunn. Rocky saw Tommy as a protégé and found purpose and success in their partnership until Tommy abandoned him for George Washington Duke. Because of their previous relationship and the shocking betrayal, Rocky’s street fight with Tommy had much more significance and pain attached to it than a regular boxing match.

Donnie and Damian may form a bond during the events of Creed III like Rocky and Tommy did, but they also have a shared history and friendship from their youth. As seen in the Creed III trailer, Donnie doesn’t recognize Damian at first, but it becomes clear that Damian’s return and ambition to fight strike a chord with Donnie, leading to their rekindled friendship and eventual rivalry. Donnie and Damian’s shared makes their conflict much more personal than a boxing match, like in Rocky V.

Creed 3’s Villain Story Can Be Better Than Rocky V’s

Despite sharing a villain arc, Donnie and Damian’s complex bond in Creed 3 has the opportunity to surpass Rocky V’s mistakes. Rocky V went wrong in several aspects, a major one being the lack of intense boxing scenes. Rocky and Tommy’s final blowout is controversial because it turned into a random street fight rather than a traditional boxing match. In contrast, Creed III can showcase Donnie and Damian’s souring relationship in a dramatic and intense match-up.

Most importantly, Creed III can be better than Rocky V by emphasizing the deep and emotional connections between Donnie and Damian. While Rocky V presented a mentor and mentee relationship, Creed III can focus on friendship and the complexities of caring for a friend while also wanting to beat them. Jonathan Majors as Damian can also assist in bringing this intense dynamic to life. With the inclusion of an epic boxing match and the intricacies of Donnie and Damian’s relationship, Creed III can avoid what went wrong for Rocky V and become a far greater Rocky film.

More: Creed 3 May Already Be Setting Up Another Rocky Sequel