Why Ryan Coogler Isn’t Directing Creed 2

Riding high off the back of his extraordinary success with Black Panther, writer and director Ryan Coogler is next set to make Wrong Answer, a film that’ll reunite him for the fourth time with Michael B Jordan. Details on that project can be found here.

Jordan, right now, is set to start filming Creed 2, the follow-up to the Rocky spin-off that Coogler directed. But this time, Coogler isn’t involved in the project, with Steven Caple Jr. set to direct the new movie instead.

Coogler has now confirmed in a new interview that scheduling was part of the reason he couldn’t do the new film. But as it turns out, it’s not the only reason. “I mean of course it was possible”, he explained to Variety. “Creed was about my dad and me, so it’s a movie that I find difficult to watch. It’s difficult for me to even think about it, I’ve got so many emotional ties to it, not to mention you know how much I care about the people involved.”

He added that “I care deeply for Mike, obviously, deeply for Tessa [Thompson], and I grew incredibly close with Sly in making that. These are people that I want to see do well and win at all costs. There’s timing, and that film for whatever reason it had to go when it’s going. I think it’s a blessing that it’s going, man. It’s amazing that they found an incredible filmmaker in Steven Caple Jr., who’s a guy I actually went to film school with, who I have a lot of love and respect for. I can’t wait to see what he does with it.”

Creed 2 is set for release on November 21, 2018. It’s in production now, but will likely have to hurry to make that date.