Creed III topped the domestic box office in its first weekend in theaters. The MGM release knocked Ant & Bees: Quantum of Solace out of the top spot and far exceeded industry expectations and the opening weekends of the franchise’s first two films.
“Creed III,” which is playing in 4,007 North American locations, took in about $58 million in ticket sales on Sunday, according to studio estimates. At the start of the weekend, analysts expected the film to open around $30 million. The first “Creed” debuted to $29 million in 2015, and “Creed II” opened to $35 million in 2018.
Michael B. Jordan made his directorial debut in Creed III, in which his character Adonis goes up against his childhood friend Dame, played by Jonathan Majors. This is the first Rocky/Creed film not to feature Sylvester Stallone, who chose not to return due to creative differences.
Good reviews helped Creed III, which currently holds an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore. According to surveys, the audience was predominantly male (63%), diverse (36% black, 28% Latino, 23% white, and 13% Asian/other), and young (55% 18-34).
It is also the most expensive Creed film, with a production budget of $75 million, compared to other films that cost between $35 million and $50 million.
Ant-Man 3 slipped a second in theaters in its third weekend.
In third place was Universal’s “Cocaine Bear,” which added $11 million in theaters in its second weekend to bring its domestic total to $41.3 million.
Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Village of the Swordsman was fourth with $10.1 million. The series is based on Koyoharu Gotoge’s manga about a boy who avenges his family.
Lionsgate and Kingdom Story’s Jesus Revolution rounded out the top five with $8.7 million. The film, starring Kelsey Grammer as a 1970s pastor, grossed $30.5 million in theaters over two weekends against a production budget of $15 million.
Other must-read books from TIME
