Michael B. Jordan Reflects on Challenges of Directing 'The Thomas Crown Affair' Remake

The actor-director discusses the differences between helming 'Creed III' and his upcoming take on the classic heist film.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:20am

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Michael B. Jordan, who is both directing and starring in the upcoming remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair", opened up about the challenges he faced compared to his directorial debut on "Creed III". Jordan noted that working with a new cast, shorter shooting days, and having to balance his time between acting and directing responsibilities were all significant hurdles he had to overcome.

Why it matters

Jordan's success with "Creed III" has led to new opportunities, but also heightened expectations for his work as a director. The "Thomas Crown Affair" remake is a high-profile project, and Jordan's ability to navigate the complexities of dual roles will be closely watched by the industry and audiences.

The details

Jordan explained that the shorter 10-hour shooting days in London, versus the 12-14 hour days he was used to on "Creed III" in Atlanta, meant he had to cram more work into less time. He also noted the challenge of working with a new cast who knew him more as an actor than a director, requiring "a mental shift" to get them to understand his directing process.

  • Michael B. Jordan is currently doing awards season promotion for his film "Sinners", for which he was nominated for Best Actor.
  • The Thomas Crown Affair remake is set to be released on March 5, 2027.

The players

Michael B. Jordan

An American actor and filmmaker who is directing and starring in the upcoming remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair".

Creed III

The third installment in the "Creed" film series, which marked Jordan's feature film directorial debut.

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What they’re saying

“There's a lot of 'technical director' shit, honestly. I shot 10-hour days in London versus shooting 12 to 14 hours in Atlanta. That's a huge difference of how many shots I'm trying to get, how many scenes I can do in a day. And I had to adjust to not having a really inherited cast.”

— Michael B. Jordan, Actor and Director (Vanity Fair)

“With Creed, I've worked with everybody for years. I got a whole new cast that I'm dealing with for Crown. These are people that probably know me more as an actor than a director. There is a mental shift that you need from your cast to understand this process because it's not the normal process. There's a lot of conversations around how to split my time and be everywhere that I need to be for everyone—that was a big mountain to climb. And I think I did it well.”

— Michael B. Jordan, Actor and Director (Vanity Fair)

What’s next

The Thomas Crown Affair remake is set to be released on March 5, 2027.

The takeaway

Michael B. Jordan's success as a director on Creed III has led to new opportunities, but also heightened expectations. His experience directing and starring in the upcoming Thomas Crown Affair remake highlights the unique challenges of balancing dual roles, especially when working with a new cast and crew on a high-profile project.