Summary

• Creed 3 surpassed all six Rocky films, except one, in just the first three weeks after opening.
• The first two Creed movies brought in over $109 and $115 million, respectively, while Creed 3 made almost 165 million at the box office.
• Black Panther brought in over 700 million dollars domestically and 600 million internationally, but it didn't break any records.

Michael B. Jordan is one of the greatest actors in Hollywood, with many top movie roles on his resume that speak to his talent. Outside of acting, Jordan has dabbled in the fashion industry and created his own line of rum. Years ago, the actor decided to branch out and direct movies as well as continue to act in them. One of those was a box office hit series entitled Creed.

Outside the Creed franchise, Michael B. Jordan has earned a reputation for himself in his iconic role in the Marvel movie Black Panther, with the late actor Chadwick Boseman in the lead role. However, even with all the media hype, Black Panther wasn't the top film in Jordan's resume to break box office records.

The Creed Films Beat Out Rocky

Creed broke Rocky records, even without Sylvester Stallone's input

Years ago, Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in the Rocky movie franchise. Years later, Michael B. Jordan made his directorial debut in a remade version of the series, in which Stallone guest starred.

With three movies in the new Creed franchise, Sylvester Stallone helped out in front of the camera and behind the scenes for two of them, opting to stay out of the third one due to a dispute with the producer regarding rights to the franchise. Stallone has also said he wouldn't watch Creed 3.

With a great deal of anticipation for each of the three Creed movies, it was expected that fans would find them landing at the top of the box office charts. However, many were surprised when it was released that Creed 3 surpassed all six Rocky films, except one, in just the first three weeks after opening.

The Michael B. Jordan Movie Creed Had A Massive Turnout

The first two Creed movies were very popular in theaters, bringing in over $109 and $115 million in the years 2015 and 2018, respectively. When Creed 3 came out in March 2023, the box office numbers were astounding at almost 165 million.

While the numbers on their own are highly impressive, the box office record that really shocked fans was the fact that the third installment of the franchise beat out the original Rocky films.

By comparing the numbers, it's easy to see how Creed 3 performed at a higher level in theaters. However, that isn't all that needs to be taken into consideration. Being that the Rocky franchise was created in the 1970s, the value of the dollar was at a different level during the making of the films.

Additionally, box office statistics were different in that time than they are today, with much fewer theaters in operation in the past and the act of going to the movies being less common than what it is today.

Creed Vs. Black Panther

Black Panther was epic, but it didn't break records

The Black Panther movies had an incredible turnout, with Michael B. Jordan falling so deeply into character that he later needed to take steps to work through some emotions that arose as a result. As the number one performing movie under Michael B. Jordan's belt, the film brought in over 700 million dollars in the domestic market, with another 600 million coming in through the international box office.

The difference between the two films lies in the fact that although Black Panther brought in a ton of money, it didn't break any records. However, Creed 3 was able to surpass its predecessor in the short span of just three weeks, setting its own unique record.

Creed 3 was the only one of the three films that didn't include Sylvester Stallone in any capacity. Whereas he acted alongside Michael B. Jordan in the first two installments as well as helped with writing and directing, he sat out when it came time for Creed 3 due to a dispute over rights to the film franchise.

While it is unknown whether this changed the trajectory of the series, it is likely that audiences were hooked on the storyline from the first two films and were long anticipating the release of the third movie, leading to its incredible performance in such a short period.

Michael B. Jordan has continued to make moves in the entertainment industry, acting in the follow-up to Black Panther and plotting the production of many upcoming projects. Will another box office record come in the direction of a Michael B. Jordan movie in the future? Only time will tell, but it's likely that his talent will contribute to one in the years to come.