Creed IV only gets Stallone’s yes if one specific person is out

Sylvester Stallone isn’t ruling out lacing up again as Rocky Balboa — but he drew a bright line about who can be in his corner. Without naming names, the actor said he’d be open to teaming with Michael B. Jordan on Creed IV if one specific person is no longer attached.

“I'll do Creed IV with him as long as the other fellow is not involved.”

Stallone didn’t identify “the other fellow,” but the franchise ’s longtime producer Irwin Winkler is the obvious read. The two have feuded for years, with Stallone publicly venting that he doesn’t own the rights to Rocky and has asked for them to be returned. He last appeared as Rocky in Creed II and sat out Creed III in 2023, citing creative differences over the film ’s direction. At the time, he praised Jordan and the studio but called the experience emotionally difficult.

Where Creed IV stands

The next chapter is already in motion. Winkler and Jordan have both said a fourth film is in development, with Jordan expected to return as Adonis Creed and direct. Tessa Thompson is also expected back as Bianca. There’s no release date or production schedule yet.

Behind the scenes, Jordan and the producers are taking their time on the script rather than rushing into another bout, with the story potentially shifting Adonis toward a mentor role. Stallone has said he’s interested in reuniting with Jordan if they land the right story — with the caveat that the unnamed figure he referenced stays out of it.

Stallone’s absence from the last film and his long-running dispute with Winkler go back well before the Creed era, rooted in control of the character he created. Whether that long-standing tension intersects with this new sequel remains to be seen on the business side; on the creative side, the project is moving ahead, but it’s still early days with no date on the calendar.