There’s been talk all summer that Universal”s N.W.A. biopic, “Straight Outta Compton“, was going to score big with audiences, and the crowd-pleasing rags-to-riches story of a group of L.A. rappers who popularized gangster rap and changed the game of hip hop forever, did just that”.
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According to CNN Money, the F. Gary Gray film earned $56.1 million in theaters, nearly doubling the $29 million it cost to make the film.
‘The film has been seen by thousands of people at hundreds of screenings, all of which have happened without incident. Sunday. “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, a Bond-style movie from Warner Bros., came in third in its first weekend.
Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centers on Central Intelligence Agency agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin.
“If you were to create a blueprint for how to perfectly execute a box office year, they’ve done it”, said Dergarabedian.
Hopefully, the success of Straight Outta Compton will open the door for other noteworthy rap biopics to get made.
Comcast Corp. bought General Electric Co.’s 49 percent stake in NBCUniversal in 2013 for $16.7 billion, which included the Universal movie studio assets in a move to bet on the entertainment business. “Compton” had been forecast to rake in somewhere in the mid to high $40 millions.
Dropping to no. 2 was “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” with another $17 million and $138.1 million so far.
Sixth place went to Ant-Man, which fell from fifth and took home $5.5 million.
“Guy Ritchie made a terrific picture, but unfortunately it didn’t catch the audience this weekend”, said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. distribution executive vice president. DuVernay, who replied that she was curious at how her hometown would be represented, ended up watching the film during its opening weekend.
The film exceeded exceptions and was projected to bring in close to $30 million.
In limited release, Fox Searchlight rolled out “Mistress America” in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles.
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Among the movies entering their second weekend, Fox’s superhero reboot Fantastic Four dropped by a steep 69 percent, taking in $8 million to bring its cumulative purse to $41.9 million as it settled into the fourth place slot.
