Dear Gossips,   

What a weekend it was for Michael B Jordan. As I mentioned several times last week, original box office projections for Creed III ranged from $30 million on the low side to $45 million on the high side. The movie opened at $58 million, far surpassing expectations and in the process setting a franchise record with the strongest opening of all Creeds, and the highest opening box office for a sports movie. And it’s now Amazon’s biggest blockbuster. Total global box office is now already over $100 million which means, in the most cliché terms possible, that MBJ’s directorial debut is a knockout. He is 36 years old, an established movie star, and now an established big event movie director. Michael B Jordan has come into allllll that potential. It’ll be a victory lap, then, at the Oscars as the Academy confirmed him among the first slate of presenters on Sunday. 

 

But there’s also Jonathan Majors who has topped the box office for the third straight week, two in a row with Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and now with Creed III. They said last week in an interview with the NYT that they definitely want to work together again. Here’s how Jonathan described their partnership:

 

We’re just two months into 2023 and by all standards, the success that Jonathan has had this year so far would be enough for anyone. But he’s not done! He’ll return as Kang in Loki season two, which will be a major television event this summer. And after receiving a rapturous reception at Sundance in January for his performance Magazine Dreams (Sarah’s review of the film is here), there’s word that Searchlight will release it later this year with an award season campaign. What a flex of range for him in one single year. 

Jonathan joked with Stephen Colbert last week that he’s the “gateway to becoming the Sexiest Man Alive” having worked with both MBJ and Paul Rudd… but … um… is there anyone else at this point who should get the title? 

Attached – Jonathan at the American Black Film Festival Honors this weekend. 

Yours in gossip,

Lainey