Creed III will take over the top spot at the box office, setting a new series record, during its opening weekend. The film’s debut will land a knockout punch on Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which managed the biggest box office dropoff in Marvel’s history in its second weekend. Creed III grossed $22 million on Friday, including $5.45 million in preview screenings, on its way to a franchise-high $58.7 million opening weekend (Creed opened with $29.6 million in 2015, and Creed II followed in 2018 with $35.5 million). That’s also the best opening for the Rocky franchise, the biggest opening ever for a sports movie, and a record theatrical release for Amazon, which now owns the film’s studio, MGM.
Critics are feeling good about Creed III, the first Rocky movie without Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, praising the performances by leads Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors. The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critics’ consensus that reads, “Stepping out from Rocky Balboa’s iconic shadow at last, the Creed franchise reasserts its champion status thanks to star Michael B. Jordan’s punchy direction and a nuanced heel turn by Jonathan Majors.” ComicBook.com’s Patrick Cavanaugh gave the film a review score of 4-out-of-5. He writes:
“When audiences first met Adonis, we met a man who felt like he had no other destiny in life than to fight, as it was all he knew as a kid. Nearly a decade later, we see a man who knows he doesn’t have to fight anymore, and it’s a testament to his, and the franchise’s, journey that there is more vulnerability and power in a conversation between two men in a locker room than even the most well-choreographed fight scene. Even if Jordan never continued the character, Creed III can serve as a closing of the book on the figure, thanks to the film showcasing that, just because life throws you emotional hardships, it doesn’t mean that you’re down for the count.”
In addition to starring, Creed III is Jordan’s directorial debut. In addition to Jordan and Majors, the film also stars Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad. Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin wrote the screenplay, and Stallone remains a producer on the project, along with Ryan Cooglar, who directed the first Creed.
Also charting this week are Cocaine Bear and Demon Slayer. The full list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend is in the works.
