Creed

1 INT. FIGHT CLUB/ BAR- TIJUANA MEXICO- DAY 1

We open on a mural of Jesus Christ, painted on the wall of

the bar. We pan down to reveal dank surroundings where

disinterested patrons are watching a brutal flyweight match

between TWO HISPANIC FIGHTERS.

2 INT. DRESSING ROOM- FIGHT CLUB/ BAR- TIJUANA MEXICO 2

More of a water stained box where ADONIS JOHNSON (20’S,

Black) leans from one side to another, attempting to stay

loose. FLORES (30’s) a battle scarred Mexican fighter, stands

across from Adonis, thick and menacing, with a neutral

expression. Adonis glances at his opponent, who stares back

emptily. The door opens off screen.

REFFEREE (O.S.)

Vamanos!

The two fighters stand up.

3 INT. RING- FIGHT CLUB/ BAR- TIJUANA MEXICO 3

Adonis, prances around the ring, avoiding Florez who is

struggling to make contact, and growing tired. Florez corners

Adonis up against the ropes, and after missing a few jabs,

WHAM he ducks into Adonis and lands a pretty deliberate head

but above his left eye, opening a deep gash. As Adonis tries

to recover:
WHAM WHAM, he lands two bone crunching hooks to

the gut.

Adonis takes an airless breath and stumbles back to the

middle of the ring, wiping blood from the gash as the bell

sounds.

Adonis heads to the corner, where a WAITRESS (40s) puts a

stool down. He sits and she squirts water into his mouth.

The bell for Round 3 sounds. He starts towards Flores, with

more bounce in his stance. Flores takes a swing at his head,

and Adonis evades. Flores swings again, and again, even

harder, and Adonis ducks both and then crushes a left

uppercut into Flores' chin, followed by a flurry of

alternating punches that send Flores crashing to the mattunconscious.

The ref flies in waving, and Adonis spits his mouthpiece out

and heads to the corner.

REF:

(in Spanish)

6-7-8-9-10

Adonis looks on and starts biting at his glove to take it

off. The ref walks over and pulls $500 out of his pocket,

hands it to Adonis right there.

4 EXT. US MEXICO BORDER- DAY 4

Several cars line up at the inspection booths. Adonis, drives

in a primer colored 1967 Mustang, holding a T- shirt to his

eye. He hands his passport to the BORDER PATROL AGENT, who

looks at him, shakes his head, and signals him through.

5 INT. ER WAITING ROOM- LOS ANGELES COUNTY HOSPITAL- EVENING 5

Adonis sits in a crowded ER waiting room.

NURSE (O.S.)

Donnie Johnson?

6 EXT. BALDWIN HILLS STREET- NIGHT 6

Adonis’ Mustang pulls into a hillside driveway. He punches a

code into a keypad, and a large iron gate opens. As he drives

up the cobblestone driveway we pull back to reveal a

breathtaking mansion, we notice the fresh bandage over his

eye.

7 INT. CREED MANSION- KITCHEN- CONTINUOUS 7

A hand wearing a massive wedding ring scoops beef stew into a

bowl. We pull up to reveal MARY-ANNE CREED (70s), dressed

modestly, but a regalness about her.

She slides the bowl in front of Adonis, who sits at the

kitchen island, and pours herself a glass of vodka. She puts

her hand to his cut.

MARY ANNE:

Do you have to come here after your

fights? It’s like you want to rub

my nose in it.

ADONIS:

It’s tradition.

(beat)

Don’t you want to know if I won?

MARY ANNE:

It doesn’t matter. Even when you

win, you’re losing.

(beat)

2.

(MORE)

You given any more thought to going

back to school?

Adonis doesn’t say anything.

MARY ANNE (CONT’D)

What about the internship?

ADONIS:

Maybe... if it works with whatever

schedule Duke puts me on.

MARY ANNE:

Have you even talked to him?

ADONIS:

Tomorrow... what you got on TV?

MARY ANNE:

Watching our boy.

8 INT. CREED MANSION- LIVING ROOM- HOURS LATER 8

ON SCREEN- Walter White, in a desert standoff with members of

a rival cartel, when... it cuts to credits.

Mary Anne and Adonis sit next to each other on the couch.

Adonis’ shoes off, his white socks dangling like a toddler.

ADONIS:

You got another one in you?

MARY ANNE:

Naw, grandma’s gotta head off to

bed... you gonna stay the night?

ADONIS:

Naw, I’m gonna get to the house...

Beat.

MARY ANNE:

How’s your mom?

ADONIS:

She cool, I guess.

MARY ANNE:

Good... that’s good.

Adonis stands up, and gives her a big hug.

3.

MARY ANNE (CONT'D)

MARY ANNE (CONT’D)

See you tomorrow?

He nods.

9 EXT. CLABSADDLE HOUSE- DRIVEWAY- LATER THAT NIGHT 9

Adonis’ Mustang parks next to a Subaru SUV in front of the

two car garage of a small house in Silverlake.

10 INT. CLABSADDLE HOUSE- ADONIS’ BEDROOM- NIGHT- ONE HOUR LAT1E0R

Adonis sits in his room (a converted two car garage). He puts

his winnings into a large duffle bag, slides it under his

futon, plops down on it, and turns on HBO ON DEMAND. He hits

play on a Boxing Documentary. ON THE SCREEN WE SEE11

INT. PORTER’S CAR- DAY- TOXTETH, LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM 11

The camera shoots “PRETTY” RICKY PORTER (White, mid 30’s,

Scouse accent)- the unanimous #1 pound for pound fighter in

the world- as he walks around his old neighborhood with his

sons JUNIOR (8), and G (6, and small for his age) surrounded

by a nefarious entourage.

PORTER:

See I’m from Toxteth. Nothin wrong

with it, it made me.

At the mention of Toxteth, some members of his entourage mock

firing pistols at the camera. Porter, and his crew walk up to

a boxing gym, nestled in the corner of a decaying

neighborhood.

PORTER (CONT’D)

(motions to Junior)

I was a lot smaller than him, a

cheeky little bastard I was. I used

to get me ass kicked coming home

from school every day.

A wiry, bespectacled man sticks his head out of the doorway

and looks into the camera with disdain- this is GILES HOLIDAY

(55, White) despite his slight build, he demands respect.

HOLIDAY:

You gonna train or be a movie star?

Porter turns to Holiday and smiles.

4.

PORTER:

Come down here, mate.

Holiday reluctantly obliges. He pats G on the head.

PORTER (CONT’D)

He found me, after some Evertonians

bashed me head in.

(motions to Holiday)

So he brought me in ere. Taught me

how to fight... Stopped pickin’ on

me after that didn’t they?

INSIDE THE GYM we cut to Porter- working drills with Holiday.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

Porter is expected to be sentenced

within the year on a handgun charge

that could land him behind bars for

up to 7 years.

We see Porter being interviewed in a close- up.

PORTER:

I feel like I could fight another

20 years. But numbers catch up to

everybody, so I’m treating this

like its me last...

Junior- wearing his Dad’s gold chain around his neck (it’s

huge on him) standing outside of the ring, mimicking his

dad’s moves. G watches him closely.

NARRATOR:

His opponent, Danny Wheeler, is

arguably his most formidable

challenge, yet.

IN A HIGHLIGHT REEL we see shots of DANNY “STUNTMAN” WHEELER

(Late 20s, Black) taking out several opponents in the ring.

There is a cut to TONY “DUKE” BURTON standing next to him as

he holds up a belt post- fight.

Adonis looks on at the screen, anger flashing over his face.

He turns it off, picks up his dumbbells, and starts lifting.

12 INT. ADONIS BEDROOM - DAY 12

Adonis sleeps under a blanket. The bedroom door creaks open,

and small set of eyes peek through. KAYLA CLABSADDLE (8,

Biracial, curly hair, DEAF) walks into the room. She walks

over to Adonis and gently pushes his shoulders. He opens his

eyes. (They talk in American Sign Language w/ subtitles.)

5.

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