Ryan Coogler's "Creed," the "Rocky Balboa" spin-off, painted its decent success and it was a product of several factors.
Starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, "Creed" went from a runner up to a true contender, as analysts view that the sports drama could surpass a $100 million gross, according to The Wrap. Rentrak senios media analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the publication that the film went back to the roots of what "Rocky" really was.
"Creed" centers on previous World Heavyweight Champion Balboa as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. A focus on another character other than Balboa is viewed as a fresh twist to the "Rocky Balboa" franchise, which made $117 million when it was released in 1976.
With Jordan's inclusion in the film, "Creed" was able to cover a broader spectrum of audience, especially the younger portion of the spectum. According to Dergarabedian, Jordan was a terrific actor, who was very personable. For the analyst, Jordan, along with Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Maria Breyman, and Balboa, among others, had been just perfect casting and great chemistry, keeping "Rocky's" mythology alive.
Coogler helm the upcoming "Creed" while Aaron Covington and Stallone wrote the film script. Robert Chartoff, William Chartoff, Nicolas Stern, Kevin King Templeton, David Winkler, and Irwin Winkler co-produced the film.
Word of mouth marketing played a vital role to the success of Coogler's "Creed." As a boxing film, "Creed" did not have a good start, due to the recent release of similar film genre, such as the Jake Gyllenhaal-starrer "Southpaw." However, the exceptional reviews from critics and fans motivated others to see the film as well. Rotten Tomatoes' tomatometer gave "Creed" a 93 percent rating while Cinema Score gave it an A merit.
"Creed" is also set to have a sequel or two. While the said sequel is still in its early phase of development, exact details on the plot, characters, cast, and release date are yet to be revealed.
After its debut in 3,404 theaters on Nov. 25, "Creed" made an estimated domestic gross $44 million and an estimated foreign gross of $2.3 million, for a total of $46.3 million worldwide.
Coogler's "Creed" is still showing in theaters.
Watch the "Creed" trailer here: