Creed Page #12

ADONIS:

I wanted this on my own.

ROCKY:

Who’s in here punchin? Last time I

looked at you, you were on ya own.

Truthfully, I’m glad this happened.

Now everybody’ll be gunnin for you.

Makes you very alert.

The gym’s buzzer goes off.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Time, and this time, don’t break my

hands.

86 INT. ROCKY’S HOUSE- KITCHEN- CONTINUOUS 86

Rocky walks in and picks up the house phone.

ROCKY:

I don’t know how you got this

number but...

HOLIDAY:

Easy, Stallion, it’s Niles

Holiday... I used to fight on your

undercards, but now represent Ricky

Porter.

ROCKY:

Wow... Sorry about that... the

reporters... you know...

HOLIDAY:

Yeah, I know how it is... Forgive

me for skipping the pleasantries...

is it true, about the kid?

(off Rocky’s silence)

What are you doing tomorrow?

ROCKY:

We’re training.

HOLIDAY:

Think you and the kid can spare 30

minutes for a business meeting?

87 INT. ADRIAN’S- DAY 87

Daylight streams into the back of the restaurant, that is

closed for business for the time being.

67.

Rocky Adonis, and Holiday sit around a table.

HOLIDAY:

My guy has to fight within the next

12 months, and we’ve beaten

everybody. I’ve been at my wits end

trying to find somebody worthy of a

payday. Until I heard about you

two.

ADONIS:

You want me to fight Porter?

Rocky cuts Adonis a look. Adonis mimes “what?” back at him.

Holiday observes this, and moves forward gingerly.

HOLIDAY:

I think it could be a very smart

move.

ROCKY:

I don’t know about that, we’re

still working on things.

HOLIDAY:

Good. You were fighting pro fights

in Mexico, huh?

ADONIS:

Yeah.

HOLIDAY:

I got you with a record of 11-1-1

out there. Your victory over

Sporino’s kid puts you at 12-1.

Nobody needs to know those fights

were in some bloody hole in the

wall.

(beat)

I’m not saying it isn’t going to be

difficult to convince the board.

But my camp is in a special

position right now.

ROCKY:

Curious. How’s your fighter feel

about this?

HOLIDAY:

He’s thrilled about it. He likes

thinking out of the box, giving

people chances. You can relate, I’m

sure.

(beat)

68.

(MORE)

I just want to make sure you two

are on board with this before we

put our weight behind it. We don’t

have time to muck about.

ADONIS:

We’re game to go-

Rocky holds up his hand. Adonis, frustrated stops talking.

ADONIS (CONT’D)

What you want me to sit in on the

meeting for if I can’t talk.

ROCKY:

Talk.

ADONIS:

How soon would this happen?

HOLIDAY:

2 months, 3 max.

ADONIS:

(to Rocky)

We can do this, right?

ROCKY:

Not sure.

ADONIS:

I think so.

ROCKY:

Let’s not debate in front of this

man.

ADONIS:

Look at this chance.

ROCKY:

Chance to get broken. He’s here

cause to them you’re a sure thing,

sure victory.

HOLIDAY:

Not true.

ROCKY:

Course it is.

HOLIDAY:

Okay let’s be up front. This could

be his last gig.

69.

HOLIDAY (CONT'D)

(MORE)

We gotta make it count.

(beat)

We’re talking about something the

whole boxing world would want to

see., we got the undisputed

champion of today, we got the Icon

in you

(motions to Rocky)

and we got the name of the best

fighter ever all in one event?

It’ll be bloody historic.

ROCKY:

We’ll talk about it.

HOLIDAY:

Sure, Champ. Take some time to

think on it.

(to Adonis)

In the mean time, if this thing’s

gonna go, I’m gonna need you to do

something on your end. We need you

to take on the “Creed” name,

formally.

ADONIS:

I can’t do that. Not my name.

HOLIDAY:

Then that’s a non- starter for us.

Without the name, there’s no fight.

Take a day to toss it around.

Holiday stands up as Rocky and Adonis exchange looks.

ADONIS:

Can I get the day off?

ROCKY:

I was gonna suggest the same thing.

88 INT. BIANCA’S APARTMENT 88

Adonis and Bianca post- coital on Bianca’s air mattress.

Bianca takes pulls off a roach, while Adonis looks up at the

ceiling.

70.

HOLIDAY (CONT'D)

BIANCA:

Patriarchy drives me insane. We

carry the baby for nine months,

wreck our bodies, almost die

squeezing it out, only for society

to slap the baby on the ass and

name it after the man?

(beat)

The kid should at least get both

names.

ADONIS:

Which one goes first?

Bianca cuts him a look that says 1,000 words. Adonis laughs

about this.

ADONIS (CONT’D)

So I’d be Creed- Johnson. And you’d

be...

BIANCA:

Franklin- Taylor.

ADONIS:

But if you got pregnant...

BIANCA:

We

ADONIS:

If we got pregnant, our kid’s last

name would be... Franklin- Taylor-

Creed- Johnson?

BIANCA:

I didn’t think that far ahead...

but you need to get over this name

thing?

ADONIS:

Can’t do it. Gotta make my own way.

BIANCA:

You’ve got a funny way of showing

it. Weren’t Rocky and Apollo, like

best friends? Seems like you’re

trying to tap into whatever it is

he left behind.

(beat)

That’s nothing to be ashamed of,

right?

Adonis thinks about this for a beat. Then shakes his head.

71.

BIANCA (CONT’D)

What are you afraid of?

(beat)

I’ll start it off for you, “I’m

afraid of blank” Say it with me,

I’m afraid of....

Adonis looks at her, almost as if to see if he can trust her.

She looks back, waiting for his answer.

ADONIS:

I’m afraid that...

(beat)

If I take the name on, and I loose.

They’ll say I’m a let down. And not

worthy of the name.

BIANCA:

Who cares what people say.

ADONIS:

You don’t know what it’s like.

BIANCA:

I know what it’s like to be called

a fraud. An embarrassment.

Adonis looks over at her. She does understand.

BIANCA (CONT’D)

Don’t you think it’s weird, that I

do all these shows, and not once

have you seen my family there? My

parents aint 3,000 mi away. They’re

down the street.

Adonis thinks on this.

ADONIS:

What’s they deal.

BIANCA:

We Sunni, like everybody else out

here. But my parents is just mad

conservative. Once I started

performing, and doing the music

about life, they disowned me. Told

me I was destined to fail. My own

parents want to see me fail at what

I love to do.

Adonis thinks on this.

72.

BIANCA (CONT’D)

I never knew what it was like to

have somebody in the crowd that I

knew truly cared about me. Until

you started coming to my shows. It

changed everything for me.

ADONIS:

It’s crazy that they wouldn’t

support you... I’ve seen you

sing...

BIANCA:

And I’ve seen you fight. So what if

people don’t think you’re as great

as Apollo. Who was? Think about

what’s true. You love to box. It

makes you happy, right?

Adonis nods.

BIANCA (CONT’D)

And you are Apollo Creed’s grandson

right?

He nods again.

BIANCA (CONT’D)

Use the name. It’s yours. F*** what

they say about you. I’ll be there

for you, win or loose. Rocky’ll be

there for you, win or loose. To

hell with everybody else.

89 INT. ADRIAN’S RESTAURANT- DAY 89

Rocky stands in the stock room looking over merchandise, the

back door is open to the parking lot. Through the door, we

see Adonis approach. He walks up to Rocky.

ADONIS:

So what do you think?

ROCKY:

Ya really care?

ADONIS:

Yeah, what are your thoughts on

this.

ROCKY:

Fighter’s only got ten good years,

tops.

73.

(MORE)

Rate this script:4.4 / 5 votes