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[jason10mm]

MSN

"MGM is betting big on the house of Drago.

The studio is developing “Drago,” a spinoff of “Creed,” which itself is a spinoff of “Rocky” — the successful boxing franchise starring Sylvester Stallone as the ultimate underdog Rocky Balboa.

Robert Lawton has been hired to write the screenplay. He got the job after impressing MGM executives with his spec script “Becoming Rocky,” about the making of the first “Rocky” film, according to The Wrap, which first reported the news of Lawton’s hiring. Though the studio didn’t move ahead with his film idea, it appointed Lawton to build out a backstory about Russian boxer Ivan Drago, who took on Rocky in 1985’s “Rocky IV.” His character’s son, Viktor Drago, appeared in 2018’s “Creed II,” stepping into the ring against another offspring of Rocky’s rivals, Adonis Creed.

“I’m incredibly humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and I’m approaching it as an enormous fan of the ‘Rocky’ franchise, who happens to be a screenwriter,” Lawton said in a statement to Variety.

There had been rumblings that MGM wanted to make a movie about Drago, but nothing had ever been officially announced. MGM declined to comment.

“I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM,” Dolph Lundgren, who played Ivan Drago, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. “So you may get more of that.”

It’s unclear if Lundgren or Florian Munteanu, who portrayed Viktor Drago, will reprise their roles in the spinoff of a spinoff story. Plot details are being kept under wraps."

What do you think? Without Dolph this is DOA, IMHO, but is there really a story here, or is a boxing film such a hard sell that they need to tie in in some fashion to the only boxing IP that matters, Rocky? Without Sly hanging out with Drago and reminiscing about good times with Bridget Nielson does anyone care?

I like Dolph but his really dead pan sleepy eyed performance in so many projects limits my enthusiasm for a film centered on him. Maybe slip him some coke or something before each take. While a Russian boxing film could be cool on it's own, if it's gonna be "DRAGO" then it's gotta deal with Rocky IV related stuff, right? I don't recall much about Creed II but I don't remember Viktor being such a great character that I need to see more of him outside of his interactions with Creed or Rocky (who seems to be out of this franchise). Maybe Viktor gets tapped for the Olympic team and has to negotiate the murky world of russian PEDs and olympic committee drug test tampering

 

[The Cockatrice]

Nostalgia bait and lack of creativity. I havent seen an amazing movie where I had to say wow or something in quite some time. Shame.

 

[InfiniteCombo]

Rocky Cinematic Universe

 

[Kilau]

If it bombs, it bombs.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Rocky Cinematic Universe

 

[Trogdor1123]

If Dolph is in, I’m in. If not, gtfo.

 

[GymWolf]

Rocky died with rocky 5, fight me.

 

[Gp1]

My "perfect version" of Creed 2 would have focused at least half of the movie on Drago's backstory. Way more interesting than Adonis recycled Drama. Kinda like of what they did with Rocky 4 new version and Apollo.

 

[Lady Jane]

Stallone isn't in Creed 3, supposedly due to ownership drama. No Stallone, no watch. I can't help but feel that this is the sentiment for many others and MGM is going to find that out the hard way.

 

[Artoris]

Stallone isn't in Creed 3, supposedly due to ownership drama. No Stallone, no watch. I can't help but feel that this is the sentiment for many others and MGM is going to find that out the hard way.

Creed 2 was already no watch

 

[Labolas]

The equivalent of jingling a bunch of keys in your face to get you hype and watch the movie, don't fall for it.

 

[Artoris]

Nostalgia bait and lack of creativity. I havent seen an amazing movie where I had to say wow or something in quite some time. Shame.

I don't think it is lack of creativity so much but the committee trying to play it safe by using the old stuff hoping it will work again

 

[Batiman]

Nostalgia bait and lack of creativity. I havent seen an amazing movie where I had to say wow or something in quite some time. Shame.

There’s been some Amazing movies the last couple years. I don’t really think it’s lack of creativity either. The truth is people like there nostalgic movies and shows so it’s a safe bet for everyone.

 

[poppabk]

It's just name recognition at this point, can't really call it nostalgia when it could be a movie about Ivan Drago accepting his homosexuality and taking one last (first) chance at romance in a nursing home or it could be his great great great grandson doing zero G MMA on a sub-orbital platform on Saturn to get funds for his kids operation.

 

[jason10mm]

I don't think it is lack of creativity so much but the committee trying to play it safe by using the old stuff hoping it will work again

Cobra Kai shows that you CAN take a nostalgia driven IP and play off both the nostalgia AND develop new stories, particualrly if you acknowledge the passage of time and shift the roles of rthe old characters. I'm never IMMEDIATELY dismissive of reboots/remakes/sequels of a classic IP though once I look into the production it's often pretty obvious how it's gonna turn out (cash grab, woke, legit, just mediocre).

So is there a gripping, emotional, thrilling story to tell about Ivan and Viktor largely outside of Creed/Rocky? It's possible. Also very likely this is gonna end up an original boxing script with just some Drago paint on it to boost interest, as ANY name recognition is better than starting from scratch. A father/son drama is as old as time, only reason to make it DRago is because you wan tto tap into that Rocky fanbase that for some reason wouldn't turn out for a boxing film or a Lundgren film, but would for a "hey, he just said the name Rocky!" one.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Last good Rocky was Rocky 3 with T-baby. Hey woman! Hey Woman! You want a real man!

Rocky 4 was cheesy although when Apollo gets destroyed that was a good part.

 

[Sabotage]

It's been over...

 

[cormack12]

I think it is the right time to celebrate a great Russian boxer.

 

[Gifmaker]

If it bombs, it bombs.

Nice

 

[SJRB]

Even fucking Rocky has a better cinematic universe than DC.

What the fuck are you doing, WB??

 

[daveonezero]

I don’t see Creed as a spin-off it’s just continuing the story.

It’s literally Rocky 7, 8. And since Sly isn’t in 9 it isn’t really a Rocky movie anymore.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Hollywood has changed more actors, backup actors backup movies everything is in play for crowds around the world!!

 

[Celcius]

If Dolph is in, I’m in. If not, gtfo.

My thoughts exactly

 

[SirKicksalot]

What if it's like that scene in The Hobbit?

 

[El Pistolero]

Hollywood is morally and creatively bankrupt.

 

[Chiggs]

This doesn't seem like a good idea.

 

[mansoor1980]

here is an idea for the plot..................................

APOLLO CREED returns as an undead boxer seeking vengeance

IVAN and VIKTOR DRAGO team up against the undead menace

viktor drago is eaten by apollo creed and ivan drago is helpless , he decides the secret to defeating apollo creed lies with the masters of the universe , with him becoming HE-MAN

little does he know that apollo creed is actually SKELETOR...............

movie sets up he-man sequels for further battles between the two

 

[jason10mm]

^^^^^^^
I give Hollywood about 10 more years before we see nostalgia mash-up like made possible by

A. One company owning everyrhing

And B. A soulless AI algorithm driving all movies.

 

[AJUMP23]

I will take more Dolph. I like Dolph.

I also think Hollywood is creatively bankrupt.

 

[jason10mm]

Goddamn it, this nostalgia IP mining is getting ridiculous....but I wants it!!

'Max Headroom' boots up reboot at AMC from 'Halt and Catch Fire' co-creator; Matt Frewer to return

Max Headroom is making a comeback.

www.syfy.com

 

[PrimetimeKnight]

Last good Rocky was Rocky 3 with T-baby. Hey woman! Hey Woman! You want a real man!

Rocky 4 was cheesy although when Apollo gets destroyed that was a good part.

I agree while Rocky 4 isn't horrible I think the series peaked at 3. 4 fans I feel are blinded by nostalgia.

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

here is an idea for the plot..................................

APOLLO CREED returns as an undead boxer seeking vengeance

IVAN and VIKTOR DRAGO team up against the undead menace

viktor drago is eaten by apollo creed and ivan drago is helpless , he decides the secret to defeating apollo creed lies with the masters of the universe , with him becoming HE-MAN

little does he know that apollo creed is actually SKELETOR...............

movie sets up he-man sequels for further battles between the two

Haha thanks for my first smile and chuckle of the day

Reboot will suck anyways just like creed.

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

Hollywood is morally and creatively bankrupt.

Man I don't want to go all conspiracy on this so I won't

It's been a cesspool from the start

 

[anthraticus]

3 was the last cool one.....after that it was cringe.

 

[EekTheKat]

Paulie's robot spinoff seems inevitable at this point.

The Time Adventures of Paulie's robot Sico and Rocky's dog Butkus. Where they go back in time to put right what once went wrong so they could go home once again.

 

[Rran]

I love the Rocky movies but I'm not interested in a Stallone-less Rocky film/spinoff/what-have-you. Creed 1 and 2 were still solid, but Rocky himself was my favorite parts of those movies.

You're all mistaken though--Rocky Balboa is a classy, emotionally-resonant film and the best one besides the first two.

 

[K' Dash]

I don’t care if they’re trying to exploit nostalgia as long as it is a good movie.

 

[FunkMiller]

Nostalgia had gone too far a good five years ago.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Here's the thing, not only was Creed 2 solid, it was better than Creed 1 and a Drago movie makes sense in the grand narrative of the franchise.


Bring it on I say.

 

[DGrayson]

I don’t care if they’re trying to exploit nostalgia as long as it is a good movie.

It is a good point but also missing the larger picture.

Good movies are good movies, doesnt matter if they are a spin of or a sequel. But if all movies are a spin off or sequel then no one is willing to fund actual new and original ideas and its only going to get worse as the sequels and spinoffs dry up.

 

[Big Baller]

A movie about a Russian sounds like a good idea right about now.

 

[Husky]

It's pretty funny how the Creed films are all about Adonis trying to forge his own path, and not to live under the shadow of his father Apollo, while the Creed films so far have just been rehashing plotlines from Rocky.

The Dragos were the most interesting part of Creed II, so maybe things will work out with this film. I'm not so into the Creed movies so far. I've found Adonis to be a pretty uninteresting character, his struggle and victories tend to feel phony to me.

 

[BigDeadFreak]

Nostalgia was far better in my day.