Movies News Talk
Get ready for something different! It looks like Rocky and Creed are heading in a darker direction with the new spinoff movie centered around Ivan Drago and his son Viktor. I know what you're thinking: "Darker? But Rocky is all about hope, heart, and punching things! It's iconic!". And, you’d be right!
The classic Rocky films, and the more recent Creed Movies, had those moments that make you cry with emotion (Apollo Creed's death in Rocky IV was super brutal, but in a good way). They were never afraid to show you those highs and lows and ultimately ended with a feel-good, happy conclusion, right? Drago will ditch the predictable good vibes and really delve into something darker and more brutal – a real Rocky world gone wrong.
The whole Drago thing got a lot of hype when it was first announced, with creator Sylvester Stallone saying he wasn't super happy with how things were going down. Now though, it sounds like everything is back on track. And this time, it’s set in the modern world. It'll tackle more pressing issues like what’s going on with the conflict in Ukraine. Instead of those classic “rivalry” storylines between American boxing icons and Russian bruisers, it’s looking more “political and complex.”
One of the actors, Florian Munteanu (who played Viktor Drago in Creed II), says that Drago will give the audience a much different experience and a whole lot more darkness. We're already familiar with the backstory for the Dragoes (remember that heartbreaking fight scene with Apollo?), and Drago seems like it’s about to really give us more about them – both those tough father/son moments and all that behind-the-scenes drama in the USSR and a new angle with the US invasion of Ukraine.
We’ve all had those memories of those powerful and brutal moments from Rocky IV – Drago really embodied those "cold-hearted" Soviet athlete vibes to the point where people literally thought he was a terrible person. Drago could go deeper and explore the psychology of how these kinds of characters operate: Maybe we'll get more of Ivan's backstory and what shaped him as a villain (you know, maybe Drago will show us that behind every angry fighter, there’s a really tragic personal history).
Remember Viktor, Ivan's son who's totally not afraid of the ring? It looks like the new spinoff will go further into that father/son connection. I have a feeling they'll both be a powerful mix of emotion and anger. And honestly, when Drago drops, we'll really get a whole different feel about the Rocky world.
This dark Drago spinoff could really make a change. If you’re not into serious, heart-pounding stories then Drago might not be your thing. If you're looking for those "bad guys gone good" feel-good tropes, then you're probably in for some emotional tension. Maybe they’ll go darker and explore those "bad guy” themes – there’s plenty of potential!
I’d bet Drago will focus on what happens after Ivan is defeated in Rocky IV. We'll see a lot of internal struggles and probably get into how that fight affects their family. And I wouldn’t rule out some truly intense scenes set in the ring.
For die-hard fans, Drago seems like a wild shift in a way that feels really fresh. The writers, producers, and actors are already talking about filming next year (fingers crossed, they make it happen!) Maybe this will change how we see boxing and even challenge the heart of those underdog stories we know and love from the original films.
With a lot of those boxing flicks focused on those heartwarming, underdogs coming out on top (Creed III comes to mind!), we've seen those inspiring, go-for-the-gold messages that get us in the feels! It’s amazing to think about what direction they're going with Drago. We already know it’s not gonna be like the feel-good messages we know and love. Who knows, maybe it's about time! The movie's title already hints at some deep psychological exploration. The world's changed so much since Rocky IV , maybe we’re finally seeing that change made on the big screen. We've got all sorts of reasons to keep those fingers crossed!