Michael B. Jordan Reveals Surprising Inspiration Behind ‘Creed III’

Michael B. Jordan has opened up about the surprising source of inspiration behind his directorial debut, Creed III.

Known for his love of anime, Jordan shared in a Vanity Fair video with fellow actors Paul Mescal and Austin Butler how his favorite series, My Hero Academia, influenced the film’s fight scenes.

The video features a tense moment from the show’s seventh season where Bakugo battles Shigaraki and the League of Villains, a scene that clearly left an impression on Jordan.

“There was a lot of fight moments that I’ve seen throughout anime that I was like, ‘okay, cool, it’d be great if I could actually incorporate or get this feeling of this sequence or how do you achieve this in animation that feels so supernatural?’ How can you put that in a different media?”

Jordan explained, reflecting on how he translated the energy and creativity of anime into live-action boxing sequences.

Creed III, released in 2023, is the third installment in the Creed film series and the ninth film in the Rocky franchise.
The movie stars Jordan as Adonis Creed, a retired boxing champion who faces off against his childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors. The film also features Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Mila Davis-Kent, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad. This installment marks the first time Sylvester Stallone did not appear as Rocky Balboa, although he served as a producer.

Jordan specifically cited anime series such as Megalobox, Naruto Shippuden, Hajime No Ippo, and Dragon Ball Z as influences on how he approached the film’s boxing sequences. Creed III grossed over $276 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film in the Creed series and the second-highest in the Rocky franchise. A sequel is reportedly in development.

Jordan’s approach shows how anime can inspire action in live-action storytelling, blending exaggerated, visually dynamic moments with realistic physicality. It’s a reminder that creative inspiration can come from unexpected places.

What do you think about Jordan using anime to shape Creed III’s fights? Share your thoughts in the comments.