'Creed 2' receives November 2018 release date

Nov. 1 (UPI) -- MGM has announced that their upcoming boxing sequel Creed 2 will arrive in theaters on November 21, 2018.

The film, which will bring back stars Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, received its release date Tuesday as MGM announced a new joint venture with Annapurna Pictures to distribute films theatrically in the United States, Heroic Hollywood reported.

The joint venture will see MGM and Annapurna share funding while still retaining creative control over their individual projects, Collider reported. The two studios have also formed Mirror to pursue theatrical releasing opportunities with third party films.

Creed, released in November 2015, centered around Adonis Creed (Jordan), the son of Rocky series regular Apollo Creed, who enters the boxing world by training with Stallone, who reprised his role as Rocky Balboa.

The film, from director Ryan Coogler based on a script he co-wrote with Aaron Covington, earned $173 million worldwide. Stallone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won the Golden Globe in the same category for his return as Rocky.

Stallone announced in October that he would be directing and producing Creed 2. The actor wrote the screenplays for all six Rocky films and directed Rocky II, Rocky III, and Rocky IV, which featured the death of Apollo at the hands of boxer Ivan Drago and Rocky Balboa.