UPDATE, writethru: MGM’s Creed III is enjoying a knockout opening weekend, punching up $100.4M globally. Of that, $41.8M is from 75 international box office markets. Domestically, the Michael B Jordan-directed movie opened to a franchise record and the best debut ever for a sports title.
Internationally, this is also the biggest opening for the franchise. In like-for-like markets and using today’s exchange rates, the film is tracking 109% ahead of the original Creed and 25% over Creed II. Even at historical exchange rates, the Jordan, Jonathan Majors and Tessa Thompson-starrer still tracks ahead of both films (+93%/+18%).
The threequel is the first major picture released overseas by Warner Bros under a multi-year pact that was entered with Amazon-owned MGM last August.
France, as we reported over the weekend, led markets and ended with a $7.7M No. 1 on 633 screens, propelled by strong scores and coming in ahead of the two previous titles by 73% and 32%, respectively. Jordan also visited Paris’ Le Grand Rex cinema as part of the publicity tour.
He followed that up with the European premiere in London in mid-February. The UK, which bowed Creed III on Friday, grossed $6.1M at No. 1; 136% over the first Creed and 71% above the sequel.
At $4.3M, Germany gave Jordan his 2nd biggest starring start, behind Black Panther. The launch was more than double the previous Creed titles.
Italy ($3.5M) and Mexico ($3M), round out the Top 5, both at No. 1
The filmed-for-IMAX movie notched $9.6M globally in the format, including $3.1M from overseas. France led play for IMAX, beating No Time to Die by 10%.
In other threequel news, Disney/Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania saw 53% shrinkage from last weekend, taking $22M in 52 material markets. The offshore cume is now $232.7M for a global tally of $419.5M. It is still expected to cross $500M worldwide.
Excluding China, AM3 is 4% above the original’s offshore cume and 18% below the sequel.
The Top 5 markets to date are China ($36.9M), UK ($20.7M), Mexico ($16.3M), Korea ($12.3M) and France ($11.2M).
Sticking with Disney, Avatar: The Way of Water soaked up another $6.1M from 52 markets this session. That takes the offshore cume to $1,611.3M and global to $2.282B.
Here are the Top 5 markets: China ($245.3M), France ($151.6M), Germany ($142.7M), Korea ($107.9M) and the UK ($92.8M).
Coming this week, Paramount’s Scream VI starts global rollout as we enter a very busy period. After a couple of quiet weekends in China, business looks to pick back up next frame with the release of local comedy Post Truth.
MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
Mummies (WB): $4.8M intl weekend (56 markets); $27.8M intl cume
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (UNI): $4.7M intl weekend (80 markets); $276.4M intl cume/$453.6M global
Cocaine Bear (UNI): $3.13M intl weekend (51 markets); $10.7M intl cume/$52M global
Missing (SNY): $3M intl weekend (56 markets); $10.3M intl cume/$42.1M global
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village (SPRI/CR): $2.1M intl weekend (8 markets); $12.3M global cume ex-Japan
Tar (UNI): $1.9M intl weekend (43 markets); $12.7M intl cume/$19.4M global
Magic Mike’s Last Dance (WB): $1.9M intl weekend (39 markets); $27M intl cume/$52.3M global
A Man Called Otto (SNY): $1.3M intl weekend (44 markets); $43.4M intl cume/$106.7M global
Babylon (PAR): $600K intl weekend (35 markets); $48M intl cume/$63.4M global