Universal is close to getting another box office win, this time thanks to Straight Outta Compton, F. Gary Gray’s biopic about the legendary rap group N.W.A. The film started off well thanks to Thursday night screenings, leaving Warner Bros.’ The Man from UNCLE in the dust.
Compton grossed $4.96 million from just over 2,200 locations Thursday night, notes Variety. The film expanded to 2,755 locations for the weekend.
The movie is expected to finish the weekend with over $40 million, despite its lack of star power. Its main cast includes O’Shea Jackson Jr. as his father, Ice Cube; Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre; and Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E. Ice Cube and Dr. Dre are among the film’s producers.
UNCLE, which is based on the hit ‘60s TV series, had a much smaller Thursday debut. It only made $900,000, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The movie was directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer.
Warner Bros. isn’t expecting the spy movie to have a big launch, despite opening in over 3,400 theaters. Analysts are predicting an opening between $15 million and $20 million.
Holdover Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation should still be in the running for a spot in the Top 5. It will be interesting to see how far Fantastic Four falls in its second weekend.