Eli Ade/MGM
FRIDAY AM: The Michael B. Jordan-directed trio attracted $5.45M previews on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Creed III is expected to gross $38-40 million from 4,007 theaters, which would be a 3-day opening record for the Rocky spin-off franchise.
I hear that 74% of that number of previews for Creed III came from the Thursday sessions which started at 7 p.m. Wednesday previews were from Imax and PLF showtimes only.
This easily beats the $3.6 million previews of Creed II and the $1.4M of Creed both of which were previews from the Tuesday before the Thanksgiving run of these photos. Other compositions used for Creed III are No ($6.4M in previews, $44.3M in opening) and Unexplored ($3.7 million previews, $44 million opening).
The film Out of the Gate is hot with 96% viewership on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews settled at 87% certified fresh, higher than Creed IIis 83%, but less than the 95% certified fresh produce in the first installment.
The MGM title represents a big return for the Amazon streamer to the big screen with wide releases after a largely theatrical day-to-day business strategy with its Prime Video service.
Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett in ‘Operation Fortune’, Courtesy Everett Collection
Lionsgate/Miramax’s Guy Ritchie Action Movie Will Also Open This Weekend Operation Fortune: Cunning War in 2,168 theaters, should do in the single digits. Done yesterday $220,000. Ritchie’s previous previews for his action shots were man’s anger (opening $500,000, $8.3M) and pre-pandemic 2020s Gentlemen ($725,000, opening $10.6M). There’s also Crunchyroll’s cinema experience, Demon Slayer in the Blacksmith Village in 1,722 theaters that don’t have Imax and PLF because they belong to Creed III This weekend.
Universal cocaine bear won Thursday with a $1.48M estimate (-5% from Wednesday) in 3,534 theaters and a $30.2M first week. Disney/Marvel Studios Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 4,345 theaters it saw $1.4M (-8%) yesterday, a second week of $39.1M and a cumulative total of $174.2M. lionsgate jesus revolution in 2,475 theaters grossed around $1.3M (+2%) and $21.8M in its first week. 20th/Disney/Lightstorm Avatar the Way of the Water at 2,495 made $361,000 yesterday, +2%, an 11th week of $6.3M and a cumulative total of $667M. Oscar nominee for Universal/DreamWorks Animation Puss in Boots: the last wish booked in 2,840 locations saw a Thursday estimate of $235,000, up 2%, and week ten of $5.1m and a running total of $174.4m. As we have already told you, this domestic total is higher than that of Illumination/Universal Sing 2 final holiday season ($162.7 million) and the original Puss in Boots ($149.2 million).