Tessa Thompson Lands Female Lead In Ryan Coogler’s ‘Creed’Posted by Wilson Morales
December 15, 2014
Source: Deadline
Tessa Thompson has landed the female lead opposite Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Creed,’ reports Deadline.
Raised in an upper-crust home thanks to the ring riches earned by his grandfather, the young man (Jordan) doesn’t have to box and his family doesn’t want him to. Yet, he has the natural instinct and gifts and potential that made his grandfather the heavyweight champion until Rocky Balboa took his crown in 1979′s Rocky II. Creed’s grandson needs a mentor and turns to Balboa, who is out of boxing completely and not eager to return.
Sylvester Stallone will returning to reprise his role Balboa.
Balboa was Creed’s father’s greatest opponent and later his best friend until that fateful moment when Balboa heeded Creed’s wishes and didn’t stop the fight against the Soviet fighter Drago (played by Dolph Lungdren in 1985′s Rocky IV) before the giant delivered what proved to be a fatal beating. The elder Creed, played by Carl Weathers, appeared in the first four Rocky films.
In talks to join the film are champion boxers Andre Ward and Tony Bellew with Bellew to play a fighter named “Pretty Ricky Porter,” Michael B. Jordan’s main opponent in the ring.
Thompson was last seen starring in Justin Simien’s “Dear White People,” and will next appear in Ava DuVernay’s Martin Luther King Jr. biopic “Selma.” She won a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor for her performance in DWP
Writer/director Ryan Coogler, who directed Jordan in the award-winning Fruitvale Station, is drafting Creed alongside Aaron Covington. Stallone will also produce, alongside Robert Chartoff, Kevin King and Irwin Winkler.
