Can ‘Creed III’ Go 3 Rounds at the Box Office Without the Help of Rocky Balboa?

We are about to find out if Michael B. Jordan’s boxing hero has won over enough moviegoers to build a hit movie on his own

Friday marks the start of a new chapter for MGM, Michael B. Jordan and his pugilist protagonist Adonis Creed as “Creed III” seeks to match the box office performance of its 2015 and 2018 predecessors without the moneymaking presence of Creed’s legendary mentor, Rocky Balboa.

The absence of Sylvester Stallone in his most famous role isn’t the only big change in this franchise’s third installment. Jordan, in addition to playing Adonis, is making his feature directorial debut with this movie as Creed comes face-to-face with his vengeful childhood friend Dame (Jonathan Majors), whose boxing dreams were derailed with an arrest and who has now returned to take the championship and fame that Adonis has earned.

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Jeremy Fuster

Box Office Reporter • jeremy.fuster@thewrap.com • Twitter: @jeremyfuster