American actor Sylvester Stallone will not be making an appearance in ‘Creed III’. The 74-year-old actor’s representatives have confirmed that he will not star in the forthcoming film, but no additional details about the actor’s decision were shared.

The ‘Rocky’ actor previously reprised his role of Rocky Balboa in the first two ‘Creed’ instalments, where he served as a mentor to Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis ‘Donnie’ Johnson Creed – the son of his former rival, Apollo Creed.

‘Creed III,’ which is set for a November 23, 2022 release, has locked Michael B. Jordan, in for his directorial debut. Alongside reprising his role and directing, the 34-year-old actor Jordan will also produce the film.

“Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right, Creed III is that moment — a time in my life where I’ve grown more sure of who I am, holding agency in my own story, maturing personally, growing professionally, and learning from the greats like Ryan Coogler, most recently Denzel Washington, and other top tier directors I respect. All of which sets the table for this moment,” Jordan said in a statement.

“This franchise and in particular the themes of ‘Creed III’ are deeply personal to me. I look forward to sharing the next chapter of Adonis Creed’s story with the same responsibility of being its director and namesake,” Jordan added.

Actors Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad are also expected to reprise their roles in the upcoming film.