Creed 2: Michael B Jordan speaks out on why he ‘put on 20lbs’ for sequel

The actor – currently one of the most popular in the world thanks to projects such as Black Panther – said in a recent interview that he wanted to bulk up so he’d be a feasible match for his on-screen opponent. That, unsurprisingly, involved a lot of training up.

Speaking to Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, he said: “I put on 20 pounds for this one.

“My opponent is huge. Six foot three, 250 pounds… so I just wanted to look close!”

And it sounds like it was a very taxing process, going by what he told the Wall Street Journal magazine earlier in the year ahead of Black Panther’s release.

“Chest, shoulders, back. My legs a little bit, my quads. I was just, like massive…It’s a job man,” he said of his training.

“You really have to diet. It’s hard to be social.

“You have to drink a gallon and a half of water a day, you know how many times you have to use the bathroom? It’s annoying.”

On GMA, Jordan was also asked about the possibility of him reprising his antagonist role in Black Panther – despite his ending.

“They’re definitely doing Black Panther 2,” he said.

When Roberts said fans have been “not sure” if Killmonger would return, he insisted: “I’m not sure either!”

Creed II was a success at the box office on its opening weekend, taking a five-day total of $55.8 million – the new record for best Thanksgiving opening ever for a live-action film.

Reviews were good too: it currently has an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Creed 2 is out now.