CPXGF - 'Creed III' hammers box office with sports film-record $58.7M opening

2023-03-06 15:26:22 ET

Rocky series sequel Creed III (United Artists/ NASDAQ: AMZN ) punched well above its weight at movie theaters over the weekend, winning the interval with a rock-solid $58.7M in ticket sales.

The film, directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan as the son of the original franchise's Apollo Creed, averaged more than $14,600 per theater in a wide release and easily surpassed a fast-fading entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's ( NYSE: DIS ) business fell more than 60% for the second week in a row since opening, though its $12.5M was enough to land it in second and hold off a surprisingly strong Cocaine Bear ( NASDAQ: CMCSA ), with $11M.

Creed III's opening marked a high point for the Rocky/Creed series and beyond: It's the biggest domestic debut for a sports film.

The Ant-Man sequel, meanwhile, is one of the biggest films of the young year, but it's tracking lighter than previous hits from Marvel, with $186.8M domestically so far and a worldwide $419.6M.

The rest of the weekend' top five added to the number of elective films prevailing in theaters lately. Crunchyroll ( SONY ) anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village landed in fourth in its debut outing with $10.1M, while faith-focused Jesus Revolution ( LGF.A ) ( LGF.B )

Creed III may be kicking off a strong month for exhibitors that's packed with sequels: Scream VI ( PARA ) ( PARAA ) arrives March 10, followed by Shazam: Fury of the Gods ( WBD ) on March 17, and John Wick: Chapter 4 ( LGF.A ) ( LGF.B ) on March 24.

Cinema tickers: AMC Entertainment ( NYSE: AMC ); Cineworld ( OTCPK:CNNWQ ); Cinemark ( CNK ); ( IMAX ); Marcus ( MCS ); Reading International ( RDI ); Cineplex ( CGX:CA ); National CineMedia ( NCMI ).

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