Why so serious, Rocky fans? While we’re currently inundated with multiple versions of the Joker coming to the big screen courtesy of Warner Bros. and DC Comics, the latest version may come from an unlikely source: Creed II.

Today, the boxing phenom Adonis Creed returns to the big screen to not only defend his title, but his legacy from Viktor Creed, the son of the man who killed his father. In the 30 years that have passed since Drago’s last big-screen appearance, Ivan Drago has lost everything and now seeks to redeem himself in the eyes of his peers and his country through defeating the reigning heavyweight champion, Adonis Creed. But this isn’t just a remake or a rehash of what we saw back in 1985’s Rocky IV; it’s a bold new chapter in the Rockyverse and it drew inspiration from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, according to director Steven Caple Jr.

So how do you pay homage to the past while making sure you’re not just retreading familiar ground? I traveled to Philadelphia and sat down with the stars Michael B. Jordan, Dolph Lundgren, and Florian Munteanu and director Steven Caple Jr. to find out.

Creed II is in theaters now. Stay tuned next week for even more behind-the-scenes goodness with Tessa Thompson and Michael B. Jordan.

Will you be seeing the Rocky-verse sequel this weekend? What other Creed and/or Rocky spin-offs do you most want to see? Let me know in the comments below.

Images: MGM

Additional reporting by Jesse B. Gill