Boxing may not be the draw it once was, but boxing movies are apparently still capable of shattering records.
Creed III was presumed to be a solid performer at the box office but the latest film in the Rocky franchise way outperformed expectations, earning $58.7 million domestically and knocking out $100.4 million globally. Those numbers are not just the best opening weekend takes for the Creed series but also for the entire Rocky franchise (nine films and counting).
Not only that, but it’s also the best box office opening for any sports movie ever, though that might also depend on your definition of what constitutes a sports movie.
BOX OFFICE: #CreedIII grabs #1 w/ $58.6M this weekend. That is..
– The biggest opening of all the #Creed & #Rocky movies
– The biggest opening ever for a sports movie
– The biggest opening ever for a Black director in their directorial debut
– The biggest opening ever for Amazon pic.twitter.com/cKzICLc7NT— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 5, 2023
The film, the first in the series to be directed by star Michael B. Jordan, is also on pace to be the highest-grossing movie in the franchise as well. It’s currently pacing 109% ahead of Creed and 25% ahead of Creed II.
Jonathan Majors, who co-stars as the film’s antagonist, is also now part of the main cast for the No. 1 and No. 2 movies in America, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania falling into second place.
Creed III has been a big hit with critics as well, including Awful Announcing’s Michael Grant.
“Jonathan Majors packs the biggest punch in the entire cast,” said Grant. “As the antagonist Damian, he dominates every frame he’s in. If you’ve been following Majors’ work, you know of his magnetic presence. Majors commands attention. He is starring in three films in 2023: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Creed III, and Magazine Dreams. So, it’s all lining up for this to be his breakout year. Majors’ Damian is a worthy counterpart to Jordan’s Adonis “Donnie” Creed. And we’re not just talking about the boxing scenes. From the moment they first meet as adults, Majors owns the movie.”
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.