‘Straight Outta Compton’ Tops Weekend Box Office With $56 Million
As expected, the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton went straight to No. 1 at the box office, raking in an estimated $56.1 million over the three-day weekend.
This is an impressive opening for a biopic about the ‘80s and '90s rap group that shook up the world with their controversial 1988 debut album of the same name, which gave birth to gangsta rap.
According to Reuters, the movie had the biggest August weekend opening ever for an R-rated flick, surpassing American Pie 2, which debut with $45 million in 2001. Generally, this kind of box office achievement usually happens with “tentpole movies” - like a superhero movie or an action flick - but this is new territory for an urban (meaning: black) film.
"The movie tapped into something in our culture and that made it more of a must-see," said box office analyst Phil Contrino.
Not to mention the promotional roll out for the movie was top notch. Along with the release of Dr. Dre's Compton album, the cast and the film's director, F. Gary Gray, held panel discussions in New York and Los Angeles to talk about the project.
Hopefully, the success of Straight Outta Compton will open the door for other noteworthy rap biopics to get made. In particular, fans have been waiting patiently for a biopic on the late rapper Tupac Shakur. But creative differences between producers and 'Pac's mother Afeni Shakur have held the project up.
Congratulations to N.W.A and the cast and crew of Straight Outta Compton.