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‘Creed’ Live From Philly With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan

February 19, 2024 · Creed (2015) · Action · Drama · Sport · 1:46:00 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 30:09Discusses multiple scenes including the opening with little Adonis, the Andre Ward car key scene, and Donnie meeting Rocky at Adrian's restaurant, but doesn't settle on one definitive pick
Sean Fennessey▶ 31:18Agrees with the opening scene discussion, noting the hammer moment and title reveal
Van Lathan▶ 31:03Supports the opening scene with little Adonis, emphasizing how crucial it is for the movie and mentions the fist unclenching moment

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 35:27Rocky was lying when he told Donnie that Apollo won their private fight - Rocky actually won but lied to spare the feelings of Apollo's son
Chris Ryan▶ 35:30Expressed uncertainty about who won and questioned whether Rocky's mentorship was founded on lies
Van Lathan▶ 36:22Apollo probably won the private fight against Rocky

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 55:29The 24-7 documentary segments, media touches, Coogler's camera work, Wood Harris as Duke's son, Stallone being 69 (same age as Burgess Meredith in Rocky), Bianca as a well-written sports movie girlfriend, and Tony Bellew as Pretty Ricky Conlan
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:15The fights, especially the Leo 'The Lion' fight
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:21Irwin Winkler and Chartoff taking a chance on 29-year-old Ryan Coogler to make an Apollo Creed son movie
Van Lathan▶ 54:00Emotionally manipulating women has aged the best

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:22The ATVs in slow motion and the walkout
Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:09The Leo the Lion one-er tracking shot throughout the first fight and the first intro shot of Creed in Tijuana taping up his hands

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:54When Rocky turns on Donnie for like three minutes and says 'we're not a real family'

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:39Questions whether boxing's relevance has aged poorly, wondering if a 2024 remake would focus on MMA instead
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:16:23Boxing's cultural prominence - agrees it's as small as it's been in 100 years
Van Lathan▶ 1:16:17Boxing's cultural relevance - it's aged poorly since Rocky came out, though maybe on a small upswing recently. The heavyweight champion used to be the most popular athlete in the world.

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:51No, there is not a better title

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:02This is the best reboot of a movie franchise ever
Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:04There's no retribution storyline for Wheeler after Conlon breaks his jaw and steals his shot at the title
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:25Creed should have won at the end, and Rocky should have won at the end of the original Rocky
Van Lathan▶ 1:19:47Rocky and Apollo had a sexual relationship after their third fight

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:21Meryl Streep — States there haven't been enough casting what-ifs revealed yet for this movie, mentions Meryl Streep was supposedly up for Bianca but calls reliability into question, explains Felicia Rashad casting due to original actress passing away

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:57Ritchie Coster — Richard Costner (Leo's dad)
Van Lathan▶ 1:26:05Wood Harris

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:35Series of trivia facts including Philadelphia filming locations (Victor's Cafe, Mighty Mix Gym, Max cheesesteak place), Donnie's shirt homage to Rocky 1, Stallone wanting MBJ in flag trunks, Pauly's gravestone dates, MBJ gaining 24 pounds of muscle, and Tony Bellew winning WBC Cruiserweight title 8 months after the movie

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:02Michael B. Jordan — Yes for MBJ (Michael B. Jordan) - 'Coming out of Creed, it's like he could make any movie he wants'; No for Ryan Coogler, Tessa Thompson, Stallone; Yes for Tony Blue (winning the title); Yes for HBO 24-7
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:39Tony Bellew — Yes for 'Johns' in cinema history; Yes for Tony Blue since he'd never heard of him outside this movie
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:21Tessa Thompson — No for Tessa Thompson - 'Not this' and 'Not her best work'
Van Lathan▶ 1:29:10Black Panther — Black Panther as alternative for MBJ; Valkyrie for Tessa Thompson; This is Apex Mountain for Creed movies and for real boxers in movies

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:13I'm in (supporting the limited series idea)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:38:14This is a movie that had a sequel. Two sequels. And more to come
Van Lathan▶ 1:38:02Whole limited series

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:24Ryan Coogler — Initially suggested Stallone, then Coogler, ultimately agreed with Sean's argument for Coogler
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:38:31Ryan Coogler — Coogler for directing - argued the movie had only 10% chance of being good in anyone else's hands

Is This Movie Better With

Chris Ryan▶ 1:39:05Wayne Jenkins present during the original training in the backyard

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:42Field of Dreams — Field of Dreams, Digstown, Fat City, and Rocky IV
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:42:49Diggstown — Digstown

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:32Don't let someone make you feel like you were a mistake

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:01Ryan Coogler — Coogler
Chris Ryan▶ 1:44:05Sylvester Stallone — Stallone
Van Lathan▶ 1:44:07Sylvester Stallone — Stallone

Movies Referenced (38)

Rocky Balboa (2006)

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 7:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Panther (2018)

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 22:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Batman (1989)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Top Gun (1986)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 8:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky V (1990)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 6:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:30:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Valkyrie (2008)

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:29:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 29:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Field of Dreams (1989)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 8:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jurassic World (2015)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 9:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (1)

Shawn Fitzgibbon

1 mentions · · Known for Manchester by the Sea▶ 13:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (63)

Sylvester Stallone

24 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for Rocky, Rocky IV, Creed▶ 7:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tone Trump

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Creed▶ 41:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wood Harris

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for Remember the Titans, Dredd, Ant-Man▶ 52:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Lampley

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Southpaw, Creed, Blades of Glory▶ 28:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pretty Ricky

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Step Up 2 the Streets▶ 33:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Johnson

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for A Boy and His Dog, Django Unchained▶ 1:32:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tony Romo

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 1:02:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tijuana Ricks

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 38:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Liev Schreiber

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Spotlight, The Manchurian Candidate▶ 51:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Max Kellerman

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Creed, Creed II, Rocky Balboa▶ 53:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Justin Timberlake

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Social Network, Trolls World Tour▶ 34:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kurt Cobain

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Black Widow, The Batman, Moulin Rouge!▶ 34:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Ryan Coogler

20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Black Panther, Creed▶ 7:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Damien Chazelle

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Whiplash, La La Land, First Man▶ 24:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny McBride

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Underworld▶ 1:25:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Clancy

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger▶ 23:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part II, Manhattan▶ 1:03:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for The Taking of Pelham 123, The Other Guys▶ 6:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗