Jonathan Majors on His 4 Percent Body Fat for 'Creed III' and Putting His Body 'on Display' (Exclusive)

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Jonathan Majors is making sure to keep his body in shape. The actor has created quite a stir for his physique in “Creed III,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and the Sundance Film Festival favorite “Magazine Dreams.” Majors tells Variety that he’ll work out not once, but twice before the Oscars on Sunday. “I’m going to get up and go to the gym, have a big breakfast, wash my face and then I’ll really scrub my face because I’ll be presenting tomorrow,” Majors said at the Chanel and Charles Finch pre-Oscar dinner at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Saturday night. “I’ll probably go to the gym twice. My pickup isn’t until four o’clock. It’ll be cool.”

By now, you’ve heard that the boxing drama “Creed III” has been a massive hit—the number #1 movie at the box office this past weekend, already over $110 million worldwide—and that’s been a huge boon to actor Michael B. Jordan, who not only stars in the franchise but made his directorial debut with the third film in this franchise.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer On the heels of the success of MGM’s “Creed III,” Michael B. Jordan and Amazon are in talks for a film and TV universe expanding the “Creed” world, Variety has confirmed. Details are scarce regarding what projects are being discussed, but sources say the conversations are underway. Amazon declined comment and a representative for Jordan did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request. “Creed III” emerged victorious at the box office with its impressive $58.7 million debut, setting a franchise record while dethroning two-time domestic charts champ “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

EXCLUSIVE: Creed already broke ground for Amazon with the latest installment in the MGM movie franchise, Creed III, racking up a $100M+ global opening and setting a boxoffice record for the tech giant. Now Creed could spawn an Amazon universe spanning both film and TV. There have been meetings with franchise star and filmmaker Michael B. Jordan about various Creed-related projects for the past year, sources said. The plans for the scope of the universe have gotten bolder in the wake of Creed III’s big debut. Reps for Amazon and Jordan declined comment.

“Creed III” is spawning fights in the audiences during screenings in France and Germany, and some fear that viral footage of the fights could be part of a dangerous new social media challenge. Brawls have erupted during a number of showings of the film starring Michael B.

Creed III‘s immersive fight scenes have been spilling out into the audience in France and Germany, with reports of brawls at a number of screenings of Michael B Jordan’s Rocky spin-off over its opening week, beginning March 1.

Jonathan Majors is on top of the world right now. Not only did he end 2022 with the acclaimed war film, “Devotion,” but his 2023 has gone better than expected.

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Majors is set to star in and produce Da Understudy from Westbrook Studios and Amazon Studios. Majors will produce the feature under his Tall Street Productions umbrella. Amazon Studios landed the script on spec in a competitive situation. Sources said that Spike Lee is circling to direct, which would reunite the filmmaker with Majors after Da 5 Bloods.

EXCLUSIVE: As his directorial debut Creed III was cresting toward a $100 million global opening weekend and setting numerous records — top opening for the Creed franchise and biggest sports film opening ever and a knockout victory for MGM, new parent Amazon & United Artists Releasing as the company embraces the theatrical release, and Warner Bros (which launched the film overseas) — Michael B. Jordan sat down with me Sunday night as those numbers were piling higher. It was the first in person interview for us since I met him and Ryan Coogler at Cannes for the launch of Fruitvale Station. Trying to rebound from my own family tragedy months earlier, that film was cathartic for me because it was the first time I grieved the death of my father in Hurricane Sandy. I shared that with them, and spent a lot of time with both, and especially Jordan. He was just stepping into stardom and we talked about everything from navigating such a famous name to how much he was obliged to give of himself in interviews and in public. This was at a surreal moment when he was still a little uneasy walking down the Croisette and hearing a person or two calling out “Where’s Wallace,” the meme line about his young character from the series The Wire. I recall walking away from Coogler and Jordan hoping they continued to make strong followup creative choices because all the potential was there. Who knew it might happen so quickly for each of them?

EXCLUSIVE: As his directorial debut Creed III was cresting toward a $100 million global opening weekend and setting numerous records — top opening for the Creed franchise and biggest sports film opening ever and a knockout victory for MGM, new parent Amazon & United Artists Releasing as the company embraces the theatrical release, and Warner Bros (which launched the film overseas) — Michael B. Jordan sat down with me Sunday night as those numbers were piling higher. It was the first in person interview for us since I met him and Ryan Coogler at Cannes for the launch of Fruitvale Station. Trying to rebound from my own family tragedy months earlier, that film was cathartic for me because it was the first time I grieved the death of my father in Hurricane Sandy. I shared that with them, and spent a lot of time with both, and especially Jordan. He was just stepping into stardom and we talked about everything from navigating such a famous name to how much he was obliged to give of himself in interviews and in public. This was at a surreal moment when he was still a little uneasy walking down the Croisette and hearing a person or two calling out “Where’s Wallace,” the meme line about his young character from the series The Wire. I recall walking away from Coogler and Jordan hoping they continued to make strong followup creative choices because all the potential was there. Who knew it might happen so quickly for each of them?

Angelique Jackson It’s been a big week for Mila Davis-Kent, the 10-year-old actor who stars opposite Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors in “Creed III.” Last Monday, she was getting glammed up for the film’s Los Angeles premiere, decked out in a hot pink, custom Elie Saab dress and throwing faux punches for photographers outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Inside the theater, Davis-Kent joined Jordan to introduce the film. “I just want to say I’m so lucky to be a part of this cast, this wonderful family. I got to work with wonderful people that I met,” Davis-Kent signed to the crowd, alongside her interpreter. “I hope that you enjoy the film, and I really hope that it will inspire you to learn American Sign Language.”

“Creed III” is a knockout at the box offices.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Micheal B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson prepped for “Creed III” in an unusual way: “Mike and I actually went to therapy together,” Thompson recently revealed to Refinery29. “We did couples therapy.” Thompson stars in the “Creed” franchise as Bianca, Adonis’ longtime love interest and a successful music producer. The two are married and have a child in “Creed 3,” but Adonis’ unwillingness to open up about his past drives a minor wedge between them. The actors processed their characters’ relationship by attending couples therapy in character as Adonis and Bianca. “Yes, in character, but it ended up being like — the line sometimes between character and us get blurred because we bring so much of what we’re exploring personally to the characters in general,” Thompson said. “So funnily, it was the first time…I’m probably saying too much. I’ll say it was an early experience in couples therapy for us both [personally], but it was as these characters, which is very weird.”

An incredible bond. Starring in the most prominent boxing movies of the past generation, many moviegoers might be stumped by the question of if Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson are dating IRL because their on-screen chemistry is so believable.

Michael Corleone said it best: “Never let anyone know what you are thinking.”

The power of a wide theatrical release was realized this weekend by streamer Amazon in its pivot back to the big screen with MGM/United Artists Releasing’s Creed III. It easily minted the best opening ever for the Seattle-based parent, as well as for the Rocky franchise, with $58.6M domestic, $100.4M worldwide.

Creed III is officially a big hit.

Refresh for latest…: MGM’s Creed III is enjoying a knockout opening weekend, punching up $100.4M globally. Of that, $41.8M is from 75 international box office markets. Domestically, the Michael B Jordan-directed movie opened to a franchise record and the best debut ever for a sports title.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter After better-than-expected starts at the domestic and international box office, “Creed III” has already surpassed the $100 million mark globally. Directed by Michael B. Jordan in his feature filmmaking debut, the latest “Creed” movie has collected $58.7 million in North America and $41.8 million overseas to land the biggest opening worldwide in the trilogy. The $75 million-budgeted “Creed III” is the most expensive film in the trilogy (its predecessors cost $35 million and $50 million, respectively), but it already appears to be well-positioned in its theatrical run.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Creed III” emerged victorious at the box office with its impressive $58.7 million debut, setting a franchise record while dethroning two-time champ “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” It’s also a big win for theater owners, who are banking on the good fortunes to continue in March with upcoming releases “Scream VI,” “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” and “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Heading into the weekend, “Creed III” was projected to earn $36 million to $40 million, which already would have been enough to establish a new high-water mark. The first “Creed,” which re-launched the decades-old “Rocky” films in 2015, powered to $29.6 million, while its 2018 sequel “Creed II” opened to $35.5 million.

Michael B. Jordan has the future of the Creed franchise on his thoughts.