An earlier version of Sylvester Stallone’s Creed II screenplay included a powerful scene featuring Carl Weathers in Creed 2. The moment? A ghostly vision of Apollo Creed.
The Ghost of Apollo Creed in Creed II
This scrapped scene would have appeared after Adonis’ brutal first fight against Viktor Drago. While recovering in the hospital, Donnie, barely conscious, would see his father standing in the corner of the room.
For fans, this would have been a monumental moment—Apollo Creed in Creed 2, back in the franchise that made him legendary. Unfortunately, director Steven Caple Jr. cut it.
“In regards to tone, it wasn’t where I was going with the film,” Caple explained. “Sly had it in as an idea, but I thought it might throw people off. And then I was thinking—what does Apollo wear? Is it Carl Weathers today or from Rocky IV?”
Obviously, Apollo wouldn’t have looked like he did in 2018. In the Rocky timeline, he died in 1985. A street-clothes look could have worked, keeping the vision grounded in reality.
“Get Up, Son” – The Voice of Apollo Creed
Even though the Apollo Creed ghost scene was cut, Caple considered using Weathers’ voice.
The idea? During Donnie’s final fight with Drago, after hitting the canvas, Apollo’s voice would echo: “Get up, son.”
Chills, right? On first viewing of Creed II, we even thought we spotted Apollo’s feet standing next to Donnie, down on the mat. Turns out, it was just the Russian referee. Bummer.
Caple tested this voiceover by having another actor record the line. However, he ultimately scrapped it, saying, “It just felt like it came out of nowhere.” Instead, the film focused on Adonis drawing strength from his living family.
A Wasted Opportunity
This was a huge missed opportunity. With so few original Rocky cast members left, Creed II could have given Weathers a meaningful sendoff.
And now, we’ll never get another chance. With the passing of Carl Weathers in 2024, there’s no way to bring Apollo back in any form – aside from AI.
The Creed films have already faced criticism for straying too far from the Rocky legacy. Cutting this Apollo moment? Just another example of how these films missed what made Rocky special in the first place.
