It was the ultimate match-up between West Coast (Straight Outta Compton’s NWA) and very much east (since The Man From U.N.C.L.E. takes place in Germany and Italy, which Team America would tell you are several thousand miles east of California), won handily by the rappers. Considering this was made on a $5 million budget, this is a pretty big success for first-time director Edgerton, who’s mostly known for his work in front of the camera as the star of such films as Zero Dark Thirty, Animal Kingdom, and the vastly underrated Warrior. A Universal Pictures rep, who was monitoring attendance, said the screening drew well over 700 viewers. The film ranks as one of the biggest comic book movie flops in history, having earned a meagre $US42 million stateside.
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The carrier got a boost after unveiling its iPhone Forever promotion, in which customers can receive the most current Apple (AAPL) 16GB iPhone 6 for $22 per month and then upgrade to the next model once it becomes available.
Meanwhile Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of the 1960s television series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. debuted in third place, behind Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, with a lacklustre $13.5m (£8.6m).
The movie chronicles the rise of NWA members including Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and the late Easy E and focuses on the creation of their debut album Straight Outta Compton.
Moviegoers attending the film Straight Outta Compton were greeted by extra security over the weekend in Saskatoon.
But what, if anything, did you see at the movies this weekend?
The final Compton box office numbers went up dramatically on Monday morning, adjusted to a $60.2 million three-day total for the R-rated N.W.A. biopic, according to distributor Universal Studios.
“Fuck Tha Police”, N.W.A.’s heads-held-high cry of defiance against the Los Angeles Police Department, so alarmed authorities that it generated a warning letter from the FBI, and the song remains a controversial anthem in many protests.
While reviews for the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton have been fairly positive, one prevailing critique is that the narrative conveniently leaves out Dr. Dre’s abusive past. Isaiah Washington and Halle Berry co-starred in the film, which made $26.5 million at the domestic box office.
It has grossed 138 million dollars through 17 days since released.
But how did the rest of the films perform at the weekend box office?
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“Fantastic Four” continued its lackluster performance, collecting $8.2 million between Friday and Sunday, while “The Gift” placed fifth with $6.5 million.
