Creed III Knocks Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Out of Top Spot at the Box Office With Record Opening

Creed III will take over the top spot at the box office on its opening weekend. The film's debut will deliver the knock to punch to Marvel Studios Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which suffered the biggest box office dropoff in Marvel's history in its second weekend. Creed III is off to the series' best start in theaters. It grossed $22 million on Friday, including $5.45 million in preview screenings. Amazon/MGM is estimating it'll bring in $51.1 million in its first three days, though others are predicting a total as high as $55 million.

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 follows.