You certainly couldn’t accuse Michael B. Jordan of letting himself go after finishing on Creed – just check out his absolutely ripped physique in Black Panther – and it’s a good job he didn’t. Adonis is stepping back into the ring later this year for Creed II, once again teaming up with Sly Stallone’s Rocky, and he’s going to have one hell of a fight on his hands. Not only is Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago back in the picture – the man who killed Donny’s dad, Apollo Creed, back in Rocky IV – but he’s got a son, Viktor, who’s ready to throw down.
Fair to say, Adonis has his work cut out – and Empire has two exclusive new shots from the film, as seen in the forthcoming September issue, showing him in training and ready to step into the ring.
While Creed director Ryan Coogler isn’t back for the sequel – Steven Caple Jr. is taking over this time – the return of Drago will be a huge draw for Rocky fans. “That character was so huge in Rocky IV,” Jordan told Empire on the set of Creed II in Philadelphia. “We didn’t have a real villain or an antagonist first time around. It was more or less an origin story. This time we’ve found the perfect vehicle to build on that.”
You can also get your first look at Dolph Lundgren back in character as Ivan Drago in the new Empire, which hits newsstands on Thursday 9 August. Pre-order a copy online here{
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