Creed III debuts with knockout $58 million at the box office

Creed III stepped into the box office ring and emerged victorious.

The sports threequel starring Michael B. Jordan, who makes his directorial debut with the title, and franchise newcomer Jonathan Majors opened in the top spot at the domestic and global box office. It earned $58.6 million across North American theaters and a worldwide total of $100.4 million, according to Comscore. That marks a franchise best, as the first Creed debuted with a domestic $29.6 million, while Creed II opened with $35.5 million.

Majors portrays Damian, a childhood friend of Adonis (Jordan) and former boxing prodigy, who resurfaces after a stint in prison and is eager to prove himself in the ring. Creed III is notably the first installment to not feature Sylvester Stallone, who originated the role of Rocky Balboa and returned in the first two Creed spin-offs as Adonis' mentor, but that didn't knock out moviegoers from hitting the theaters this weekend.

Eli Ade/MGM Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in 'Creed III'

"The thing that got my attention was how he was pitching it, with so much passion and clarity, and that this would be a character coming in who we've not seen before," Majors recently told EW of teaming with director and star Jordan. "I thought it was a huge opportunity to join the franchise, and also to work alongside Michael and learn everything he's experienced in his twenty-plus years of working in this industry."

Majors ruled the box office this weekend: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania followed in second place. The Paul Rudd-led superhero flick that served as Majors' big-screen Marvel debut as Kang the Conquerer earned an additional $12.4 million at the domestic box office, bringing the total to $186 million. Elizabeth Banks' horror comedy Cocaine Bear came in third on week two, snorting up an extra $11 million and $41.2 million in all.

Elsewhere, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village had an impressive debut at No. 4, opening with $10.1 million. Jesus Revolution rounded out the top five with an additional $8.6 million on week two, bringing the total to $30.5 million.

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• Here's who returned for Creed III — and who didn't