Creed III
‘Creed III’ Gets Record $58 Million Knockout Win in Weekend Box Office Debut
March 5, 2023
Amazon-owned MGM Studios’ boxing drama threequel Creed III handily beat expectations, generating a projected record $58.6 million in revenue across 4,000 North American screens through the March 5 weekend. The tally surpasses $100 million when including overseas ticket sales.
The third installment in the spinoff of the “Rocky” boxing franchise, headlined by Michael B. Jordan (who also directed) playing fictional heavyweight champ Adonis “Donnie” Creed, was expected to generate around $43 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Pro.
MGM claims the opening, which got off to a strong start following $5.5 million in March 2 sneak screenings, tops all sports-themed theatrical debuts. The previous record was held by Sony Picture Entertainment’s The Karate Kid at $55.6 million in 2010.
Creed III easily bested the previous box office champ, Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which nosed-dived further generating an estimated $12.5 million in tickets sold, but upping its global haul past $419 million ($186.5 million North America) after three weekends.
Universal Pictures’ horror-comedy Cocaine Bear, which also beat expectations last weekend when it opened to $23 million, finished third with $11 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period to bring its total domestic gross to $41 million.
In fourth place, Sony Pictures-owned Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — To the Swordsmith Village debuted to more than $10 million, less than half of the anime franchise’s previous theatrical debut, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, in 2021.
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Rounding out the top 5 was Lionsgate’s faith-based Jesus Revolution, which added $8.6 million, upping the movie’s 10-day total to $30.5 million. With a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A+ CinemaScore, the film has been positioned solidly with faith-inspired moviegoers. Given its budget and financial model, the film is a hit for Lionsgate and producer Kingdom Story Company.
Lionsgate also released the STX-produced Guy Ritchie-directed action comedy Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre, generating around $3 million across more than 2,100 North American screens. A modest start for a movie co-starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes and Hugh Grant.