Every Rocky Movie Ranked Worst To Best

Creed III had a lot riding on its shoulders, not least because it's the first film in the series not to feature Rocky. Luckily, his absence isn't felt, and Jordan (also directing this time around, for the first time in his career) is able to keep Adonis Creed's story alive without his trusted mentor.

Following the eponymous boxer as he clashes with an old friend recently released from prison and desperate to secure the glory his jailtime kept from him, the threequel is a searing portrait of regret, masculinity and loss that digs deeper into Creed's backstory with tragic but hopeful results.

Anchored by the performances of Jordan, Thompson and newcomer Jonathan Majors, the biggest takeaway from Creed III has to be its fight scenes, which are more stylish and gripping than the franchise has ever seen.

Jordan, like Sly Stallone before him, proves to be a great first-time director as well as a commanding star, and he raises the bar whilst rising to the challenge. It may juggle too much, but every piece hits like a hammer.