Parents' Guide to

Creed III

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Jordan directs and stars in intense, moving threequel.

Movie PG-13 2023 116 minutes
Creed III Movie Poster: Michael B. Jordan in the ring

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • 1:08
  • Creed III Movie: Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors face off in the ring
  • Creed III Movie: Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson
  • Creed III Movie: Jonathan Majors in the ring

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Charlie H.
Charlie H. Adult
March 5, 2023
age 12+

Creed III is such a solid direction to the whole Creed legacy!

What a solid, phenomenal storyline and continuing on with the Creed legacy!!! I had some doubts about this one . . . But I shouldn’t have! With Micheal B Jordan’s first debut movie and even starring in it, I have to give it to him this: it’s a strong start for him, and even a stronger building to the Creed legacy. None of the movie felt forced, but it felt all come naturally!! With the Creed legacy continuing on, I kind of had my doubts wondering if they could continue on the legacy in a strong storyline. I mean, we had two great Creed movies, was it possible they could do another one? And Micheal B Jordan’s squish that question without any effort: he DELIVERS such a strong continuation of the Creed legacy and it’s near perfection in my eyes! I really loved how they finally got Rocky out of Adonis’ legacy, and started making it more on Creed than ever! I mean, when Rocky was in the Creed movie it always felt overshadowed more of Rocky’s legacy then moving on with Creed’s legacy, but with Micheal B Jordan’s bold move to not add Rocky, it definitely felt like the right choice! The character arc for Damian was quite well done! I loved the motives and intentions they added for Damian. I felt like maybe his past could have been a bit more developed and his life in prison, but overall: it was a strong character arc. Damian wanted a shot, and he would do anything to prove to the world what he started out to be: one of the world’s professional heavy-weight champion. But we have Adonis Creed (now retired) in his way. Adonis sees that Damian is willing to go do anything to be on the top (even cheat). Adonis wants to treat Damian a lesson — that you can’t go from a nobody and just be there but that you have to work your way up there and gain respect and a reputation for yourself. It isn’t always about the glory, but the respect you get from the people. Adonis and Damian have strong relationships in the earlier years of their lives but after an incident, it leaves Damian in slam for 18 years. This ruins chances for Damian to become what he wants, but when he comes out he’s ready to show the world what he was made to do! I love in the movie how it showed that even if Damian lose, he had nothing to lose. But Adonis made sure Damian had everything to lose! How the boxing fight match was shot . . . cinematography at its best without any hesitation! Micheal B Jordan’s up the boxing match and change how it should be view, and it payed off in a lot of ways. Those intense hits and punches and how they were so well coordinated made the fights epic to see. There were moments I gasped, and moments I wondered who would win in the end. What makes Adonis Creed the character he is, is that he won’t give up. That he’ll give his everything to make sure he wins in the end. It’s this that always makes me root for Adonis in not only in his boxing life but his family life! Adonis’ character arc has come a long way. He’s learned lessons from his wise mentor, Rocky, and now it is his turn to teach Damian a lesson. I felt like the improvement I would want in this movie if the stakes for the movie were more higher bar. That’s what made Creed II be the better sequel, and I feel like with a higher bar at what it is at stake, it would have made this movie even better. But even though it isn’t in that, it still a phenomenal movie that delivers not only a strong storyline but some emotional moments also. Creed has always been a movie about love and family in a boxing movie. It’s what holds this live so strongly! At the end of the day, Creed III delivers another strong storyline that with hardly any fault, it teaches a life lesson and it shows that you can’t always hide from your past. Creed III hold everything together so nicely, that nothing in the movie feels out of place; it truly is Micheal B Jordan’s debut movie!!!
FlickFlow
FlickFlow Parent
December 6, 2023
age 12+

The fighting, was top notch.

I thought this movie was really good, from the amazing cinematography, to the excellent fight scenes, and the plot was really well made, with a powerful message about jealousy. I thought it was too long, but I still highly recommend watching this movie, especially if you like the rocky and creed movies.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In CREED III, Adonis "Donnie" Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is enjoying life after his retirement from professional boxing. He runs a successful boxing gym and is a well-respected promoter and ambassador for the sport. He has built a loving family with his award-winning music producer wife, Bianca (Tessa Thompson); their precocious deaf daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent); and Donnie's attentive mother, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad). Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Donnie's childhood friend and former Golden Gloves champ Damian "Dame" Anderson (Jonathan Majors) gets out of prison after nearly two decades and seeks Donnie out. He wants a second chance at what prison deprived him of: a title shot in professional boxing. Plagued with guilt and feeling partially at fault for Dame's arrest and imprisonment, Donnie gives him a place in the gym -- over Tony's (Wood Harris) objections -- as heavyweight contender Felix Chavez' (Jose Benavidez) sparring partner. But soon Dame's ambitious demands and Creed's guilt lead to an antagonistic rivalry that can only be resolved in the ring.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (14 ):

This is an intense, moving installment in a franchise that has always centered on family, friendship, and perseverance, and Jordan and Majors are brilliant as friends turned adversaries. Jordan's directorial debut is a seamless continuation of Ryan Coogler's established story and themes (his brother, Keenan Coogler, is a co-writer), bringing everything closer to home by focusing on Donnie's past trauma and how a childhood friend's incarceration changes him. The flashbacks, featuring Thaddeus J. Mixson and Spence Moore II as 15-year-old Donnie and 18-year-old Dame, provide an integral look at how Adonis' life might have turned out had Mary Anne not adopted him. And although there are several boxing sequences, the heart of this story is once again the character development, with Donnie finally processing painful memories and learning to open up to his amazing wife (Thompson is fabulous as Bianca).

In addition to the main cast, the supporting ensemble continues to captivate, with Harris' Duke and young Kent-Davis stealing scenes and reminding viewers how much of a supportive circle Donnie has around him -- something that Dame utterly lacks. The soundtrack, executive-produced by J Cole, includes propulsive tracks from rapper Bas, Ghanaian recording artist Black Sherif, and Nigerian producer Kel-P. Kramer Morgenthau's cinematography, coupled with Jessica Baclesse and Tyler Nelson's editing, creates tautly framed, emotional, and immersive boxing scenes that, while bloody, convey each fight's high stakes. Majors and Jordan should consider starring in more films together, because their chemistry, natural gravitas, and acting range are unparalleled. Audiences will be impressed with Jordan's nuanced performance and Majors' humanized "heel" turn. The only question left is whether the Creed franchise will continue to put Donnie through the ringer -- or whether it's time to move on to the next generation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in Creed III. Does it seem realistic? Is it necessary? Does sports-related violence impact viewers differently than other kinds of violence?

  • Parent-child relationships are a key part of this film. How did that part of the story affect you?

  • Discuss the movie's representation of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Is it positive? Why is representation important?

  • Who do you consider a role model in the movie? What character strengths do they demonstrate throughout the story?

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