Universal's N.W.A. biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton’ leads the pack at the North American box office with a $60.2 million debut, helping to push Universal past the $2 billion mark domestically.
Produced by N.W.A members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, and co-financed by Legendary Pictures, 'Straight Outta Compton' marks another impressive performer for Universal in 2015.
Universal's Straight Outta Compton led the pack at the North American box office this past weekend, taking in $60.2 million from 2,757 locations for its debut. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the modestly-budgeted N.W.A biopic, costing just $29 million to produce, registered the fifth-largest opening weekend performance ever in the month of August.
Produced by N.W.A members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, and co-financed by Legendary Pictures, Straight Outta Compton marks another impressive performer for Universal in 2015, joining a list of box office successes that already includes Jurassic World, Furious 7, Minions, Pitch Perfect 2, Fifty Shades of Grey and Trainwreck. Universal crossed the $2 billion mark domestically on Saturday, four months ahead of previous record-holder Warner Bros.
In second place, Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation picked up $17 million in its third weekend, bringing the fifth film in the spy franchise’s North American haul to $138.1 million. Overseas M:I5 topped the charts for the third straight weekend, taking in $46.1 million from 62 territories for a new international total of $235.3 million and global tally of $373.437million.
Landing in third place, the weekend’s other new entry, Warner Bros.’ The Man From U.N.C.L.E. made $13.5 million from 3,638 theaters for its debut. That’s a rough start for the stylish Cold War-era film, which, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, cost a sizable $75 million to produce.
Fox’s Fantastic Four dropped steeply in its second weekend in theaters, falling nearly 70 percent from its debut to take in a meagre $8 million for a new domestic total of $42 million and a fourth place finish. Overseas Fantastic Four earned $16.2 million from 54 markets for a total of to $60.1 million internationally and $102.06 million worldwide.
Joel Edgerton's psychological thriller The Gift rounded out the top five, taking in $6.5 million for STX Entertainment this past weekend for a new domestic total of $23.6 million.
Marvel’s Ant-Man landed in sixth place, taking in $5.5 million for a new domestic total of $157.6 million. Overseas Ant-Man made an additional $5.6 million, lifting its overseas total to $189.5 million and its worldwide total to $347.1 million after five weekends of release. Ant-Man opens in South Korea on September 3 and in Japan on September 19.
From New Line and Warner Bros., Vacation landed in seventh place over its third weekend out, taking in $5.3 million for a new domestic total of $46.9 million.
Illumination Entertainment’s Minions came in eighth place with $5.2 million for a new domestic total of $313 million. Overseas Minions grossed an additional $15 million this weekend from 62 territories for an international total of $644.5 million and a worldwide total of $957.4 million. The Despicable Me spinoff is now the fifth highest grossing animated film of all-time worldwide behind Despicable Me 2 ($975.5 million), The Lion King ($987.5 million), Toy Story 3($1.064 billion), and Frozen ($1.28 billion).
Jonathan Demme's Ricki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep, placed number nine in its second weekend out, with the TriStar/Sony movie taking in $4.6 million from 2,064 theaters for the for a new domestic total of $14.7 million.
Rounding out the list at number 10 is Universal’s R-rated Trainwreck. Starring Amy Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow, Trainwreck made $3.8 million over its fifth week out for a total of $97.9 million at the domestic box office.
Meanwhile, Aardman’s animated feature Shaun the Sheep continued to graze outside the top ten, taking in $2.9 million at the domestic box office for a total of $11.1 million and an 12th place finish.
Sony’s Pixels, landing at number 11 domestically with $3.4 million, scored $12.0 million from 80 overseas territories this past weekend, lifting the video game-centric film’s international cume to $91.1 million for a new worldwide total of $155.4 million.
Elsewhere, Pixar’s Inside Out made $11.4 million from 55 overseas markets for a new total of $327.6 million internationally and $667 million worldwide.
China’s Monster Hunt fell to second place, but still made a very respectable $11.8 million this past weekend. Accounting for China’s significant currency devaluation this week, the blockbuster has grossed $346.1 million in just over a month of release.
Box office numbers were obtained at pro.boxoffice.com.
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
