When Adonis Creed goes back for another round in the ring, he comes back with a vengeance. Following Creed II's strong opening weekend over Thanksgiving, the film has now passed $100 million at the domestic box office, making it quite the contender to close out over 2015's Creed earnings, and just behind the first Rocky film.
Creed II is currently the fifth-highest grossing boxing drama since 1976, just behind Creed, and with Rocky, Rocky III, and Rocky IV on top, per a report by Forbes. The flick centers on Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he decides to face off with the son of Ivan Drago, hell-bent on vengeance for his father, whom Ivan killed in the ring during a fight in Rocky IV.
The boxing epic became the biggest debut ever for a sports drama when it scored $35 million, although it could not outshine Ralph Breaks the Internet for the top ranking spot for new releases. Now that Creed II has passed $100 million, it solidifies the success for the sequel, which was developed on a $50 million budget and has yet to enter theaters at all international markets.
Creed opened at $29 million during its first weekend and made $109 million domestically while it was in theaters. So Creed II will likely surpass its predecessor, making it one of those rare higher-earning sequels. The 2015 film likely boosted interest, as Creed received award recognition, including an Oscar nomination for Sylvester Stallone.
The film also stars Black Panther villain Michael B. Jordan, Thor: Ragnarok's Tessa Thompson, and the return of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, with his son Viktor played by Florian Munteanu. Lundgren's last appearance in the Rocky franchise was in Rocky IV, which is still the highest-grossing film of the franchise to date.
Creed II was directed by newcomer Steven Caple Jr. to positive reviews from critics and audiences, and it certainly helps that Rocky himself returned to play Creed's mentor. The film's big numbers make a great case for a Creed III to happen, that is if Michael B. Jordan is up for another round. However, Sylvester Stallone has claimed that Creed II marks his last appearance as Rocky. Audiences will soon see him revive his other iconic hero in Rambo V: Last Blood in 2019.
If you've seen Creed II, Rocky Balboa is given a perfect ending. Sylvester Stallone has had a huge influence on the franchise -- often starring, writing, and directing the many films. While the Rocky franchise isn't as popular as the superhero top-earners these days, there still is hunger for a massive on-screen fight, and Creed II more than delivers. The film is still in theaters everywhere and for more releases this season, check out our holiday movie guide.
