“Straight Outta Compton” is headed straight to the top of the U.S. box office with an opening weekend of more than $40 million in its sights.
That should more than double the opening for Warner Bros.’ spy drama “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” which carries plenty of star power with Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander.
The music biopic, focused on the groundbreaking rap group N.W.A, looks likely to keep Universal’s hot streak at the 2015 box office in tact following hits with “Jurassic World,” “Minions,” “Trainwreck,” “Furious 7” and “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
The most conservative estimates for “Straight Outta Compton,” co-financed by Legendary Pictures with a budget of $29 million, have placed the debut in the $25 million to $29 million range. Tracking is strongest among African-American and Caucasian male audiences but Phil Contrino, VP and chief analyst at BoxOffice.com, said the movie is showing plenty of traction in all demographics outside of the core fanbase.
Contrino said the most comparable entry into the marketplace came in January, 2009, when Fox Searchlight opened “Notorious,” starring Jamal Woolard and Derek Luke. The biopic of Notorious B.I.G. grossed $20.5 million in its opening weekend on its way to a $36.8 million domestic total.
“‘Straight Outta Compton’ is looking like it will defy expectations of how a music biopic will perform,” he added. “There’s a lot of buzz on it. The marketing is being done in broad strokes with themes such as free speech that will resonate with the general audience.”
“Compton,” directed by F. Gary Gray, is launching in approximately 2,751 North American theaters on Friday. O’Shea Jackson Jr. plays his own father, Ice Cube, while Corey Hawkins stars as Dr. Dre and Jason Mitchell plays Eazy-E. Producers are original N.W.A members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre along with Tomica Woods-Wright, Matt Alvarez, Gray and Scott Bernstein.
The campaign launched with a spot in February’s Grammy Awards featuring Dr. Dre and Ice Cube revisiting their hometown of Compton as an introduction to the first trailer. Reviews have been impressive with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” which also stars Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Debicki, is set against the backdrop of the Cold War in the 1960s with a mix of the elegance and action of the early James Bond movies. It’s set in Europe, where Cavill plays a CIA agent and Hammer is a KGB operative who combine forces to battle criminals intent on using nuclear weapons.
The range of opening estimates go from $15 million to $20 million — a wobbly start for a film with a $75 million price tag. Contrino said “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” should do well among female moviegoers.
“Never underestimate the heartthrob factor,” he added.
Contrino noted that film also has decent potential in international markets. Warner Bros. is launching it day-and-date in 43% of offshore markets, including the U.K., Germany, Australia, Scandinavia and Spain.
“Man From U.N.C.L.E.” director Guy Ritchie is shooting “Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur” for the studio.
Holdovers will likely be led by the third weekend of Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation,” which has taken in more than $110 million domestically in its first 11 days.
After blowing past initial expectations and opening to a whopping $60. Straight Outta Compton is on its way to spending another weekend.
This movie is riveting from the opening scene!!! The story narrative, acting and music are excellent! Themes of free speech and police brutality will resonate with theater going audience. Plan to see it again this weekend!!!!!
Universal sure is happy that they decided to change the title from “Fantastic Five” to “Straight Out of Compton.” They really dodged a bullet there!
Apparently women don’t have ears or brains and don’t see music biopics for any reason other than beefcake? Sexist much? Good reporting, Variety.
How lovely to see that the racists are dismissing the film entirely and out of hand without considering the social or historical implications of the music or people. Have you ever heard of NWA or is it just the word “rap” that sends you into uproar?
Nothing wrong with Variety’s reporting. Pre-release tracking breaks audiences down into various age groups, ethnicities and sexes. If there was any unusually high interest from women in the film it would reflect in the tracking. They said quite clearly that tracking was highest among African-American and Caucasian males, but also noted “plenty of traction in all demographics outside the core fanbase.”
Perhaps not a reporting issue but a comprehension issue.
Man from UNCLE cost $75 million ? How can you even type that in your story with a clear conscience? If that’s some number someone at WB gave you — as journalists you should question something that’s so obviously BS. Uncle ended up near $135M…this is no secret..they were doing reshoots in May.
Good movie, but 2.5 hours was way too long. They left out a big part of the movie without showing the drama between Eazy E and Dr. Dre.
you mean ‘at little violence as possible’…… cuz violence and gangsta rap go HAND N’ HAND!!!!!
that’s how they roll!!!
;-)
Lookin forward to watch this movie, keep me posted pls
America’s obsession with ghetto idiots and rap has turned into fetish.
Racists obsession with writing idiot comments turned into a hobby
Why are blacks proud of a culture which makes them look like thugs? I don’t understand, then they complain about stereotypes and prejudices.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E looks dull as f-ck. It’s gonna bomb.
Did you even see the movie? SMH
a reboot of a cold-war spy caper looked so good on paper, too.
So the real criminals, gangstas and thugs get a major motion picture glorifying thier activities? Better tell Ferguson and get a metal detector for every rap gangsta in attendence.
I dunno’ I can’t recall a movie theater being shot up by any “gangsta’s” yet.
Ok, first of all, let me break it down for you. The movie is a representation of racism, social issues, and things that you wouldn’t understand because you are white and you have never been through a struggle, you’ve never had to be a thug. Second of all I bet you’d still watch films like the god father and movies that glorify crime with white people. Also nobody wrote comments like this when eminems 8 mile came out, a movie about a white thug doing the same thinga they are doing . 3rd of all why are you even here. Just focus on your ignorant self centered racist life instead of posting dumb comments .
pathetic,, to glorfiy these bums.
American movies have been glorifying “thugs and bums” for a long time. Scorcese and Coppola have made careers out of it, and won Oscars for it.
And those same thugs talked about in rap were the same things middle class white Americans didn’t want to believe in. Corrupt, racist cops taking advantage of the power they had.
Thank you, I knew the idiots will come.