Sly-ly, 'Creed' makers already talking sequels

Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan will headline a news conference today at the Art Museum steps about their new Rocky spin-off , "Creed."

The movie has turned into a major fall release with a coveted Thanksgiving holiday spot: It will open Nov. 25.

With the official release still weeks away, here's what we know so far:

There will be a sequel, maybe two. Producer Irwin Winkler (who also produced the original and all of the "Rocky" movies) confirmed to the webset showbiz411.com that a second "Creed" has been planned and a third is in discussion.

Warner Bros. is said to be thrilled with the film delivered by writer-director Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station"), which has Adonis Creed (Jordan), the illegitimate son of "Rocky" character Apollo Creed, persuading a retired Rocky to train him.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Rocky also battles cancer in "Creed," and that Stallone gives a "quietly soulful" performance that has already generated Oscar buzz. Stallone, 69, told the Times: "I'm the same age Burgess Meredith was in 'Rocky' - isn't that weird. I'm the guy who's knocking on the door going, 'Hey, Kid.' It's an unbelievable feeling. I'm very proud of it.

"Rocky is the one thing I've done right. I'd say my life is about 96 percent failures, but if you just get that four percent right, that's all you need."

Stallone also confirmed to the Times what Jordan told the Daily News a few months ago: He was adamantly opposed to the idea of another "Rocky" movie until Coogler begged him to give it another try.

"I was dead set against it. I just didn't ever see taking this character into this realm. Finally my agent said, 'For a guy who played Rocky, you're kind of a chicken.' "

Along with Stallone and Jordan, today's news conference will include Coogler, Winkler, Mayor Michael Nutter and Tessa Thompson, who plays an aspiring singer and Adonis' love interest in the film.

Her character sings at Johnny Brenda's in "Creed," and there are a few scenes at the Electric Factory, as well.

Thompson's character helps give the movie a hip-hop flavor that separates it from previous movies, but Coogler also pays homage to classic "Rocky" themes and motifs. Hints of the original Bill Conti music, for instance, turn up in "Fighting Stronger," the film's centerpiece song.

The movie is set mostly in Philadelphia. There were additional locations in Los Angeles, where Adonis was raised (by Phylicia Rashad), and in London, where Creed has a boxing match with an adversary played by real-life boxer Tony Bellew.

James Bond is back on movie screens (see Gary Thompson's review, Page 25) and . . . in comics!

Yes, for the first time in over two decades, 007 will take off on new, gritty missions that can be found only at comic shops. Mt. Laurel, N.J., publisher Dynamite will release the series, titled James Bond 007.

"This one took a bit of time," Dynamite Senior Editor Joe Rybandt said. "The Ian Fleming estate had not licensed Bond for comics in quite some time and needed a comfort level with their partner, which we totally understand. The nice thing about it taking the time it did is that we got a longer term out of the deal, giving us plenty of breathing room to do this the right way."

Dynamite has made a name for itself during the past decade with best-selling, critically acclaimed licensed books, like Red Sonja, Battlestar Galactica and The Lone Ranger. Rybandt feels that reputation helped.

"I think this is the biggest brand we have worked with, looking at the totality of it," he said. "But we treat everything like it's the biggest and the best when it comes to licensed books."

Dynamite has long been able to attract top writers and artists to its projects - another factor Rybandt feels helped Dynamite secure the Bond license.

Warren Ellis, one of the most talented and popular comic-book writers of the past 25 years, will write 007.

"His schedule was tight, but he made room . . . and his scripts are a joy to read, even before Jason [Masters, the artist on the comic] turns them into pure works of art."

Rybandt said that Ellis has committed to doing the first year's worth of 007 comics, and that Masters is likely to do the same.

- Jerome Maida and Daily News wire services contributed to this report. Howard Gensler has the day off.