Michael B. Jordan was pegged as a superstar-in-waiting a decade ago, and he’s well on his way to living up to that undoubted potential as one of the most talented actors of his generation, while he’s also making some serious moves behind the camera. All that, and he doesn’t even turn 35 years old until next year.
Looking at Jordan’s upcoming slate, you wonder where he finds the time to get it all done. He’s about to hit the promotional trail for Denzel Washington’s upcoming directorial effort A Journal for Jordan, and he’s gearing up to call action on his own debut, Creed III.
On top of that, he’s got Season 2 of Raising Dion coming to Netflix in February, while his Outlier Society company are also developing a reboot of The Thomas Crown Affair with the Russo brothers, blockbuster literary adaptation The Broken Earth, a series that’s been pegged as the next Harry Potter in certain circles, along with the DCEU’s Static Shock and Val-Zod.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan explained how his star power and name-value have massively enhanced his ability to gain the freedom to do whatever he wants.
“My ambition has intersected at this moment where I have the experience and knowledge to direct, the opportunity within a franchise to step behind the camera and [the ability] to maximize it by having a production company. It’s my turn to make my impact while I have the energy and strength. I’ve got to tee up the ones that come after, but at the same time hyper-focus on what needs to be done right now. It’s the moment I’ve waited for my entire life. This is it. This can dictate the next 10, 15, 20 years.I know there are not a lot of people like me internally, and you all are going to come mine us for ideas anyway.”
He’s a busy guy, and it’s impressive how he managed to keep so many plates spinning in the air at one time, but you don’t make it to the top of the mountain if you aren’t willing to do the work necessary to get there in the first place.