Sylvester Stallone is no longer directing Creed 2, according to Deadline. Filmmaker Steven Caple Jr. will step in to direct the Creed sequel, starring Stallone and Michael B. Jordan. MGM and Warner Bros. made the announcement Monday. “The character of Adonis Creed reflects this generation and its challenges,†Stallone said. “I believe it’s important for the director to also be a part of this generation like I was in mine, to make the story as relatable as possible.†Stallone added that he’s “confident that [Caple Jr.] and Michael B. Jordan will hit it out of the park!â€
Stallone was previously attached to direct and produce the sequel, announcing it on his Instagram in October. Per Variety, Stallone just considered directing Creed 2, but “after talking it over with Jordan and the execs, they made the decision to find another director.†Caple — whose first feature The Land debuted at Sundance in 2016, most recently wrote HBO’s Emmett Till mini-series, produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z — will direct from an original script written by Stallone and Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker. Creed 2 is expected November 21, 2018.