Universal Pictures’ NWA biopic "Straight Outta Compton" won the weekend at the box office with $60.2 million

The five actors that play the roles of gangsta rap group N.W.A. in new movie "Straight Outta of Compton".

Story by comingsoon.net

In a year where we already have five movies grossing over $300 million (with the last “Hunger Games” and the first new “Star Wars” still on the way), Universal Pictures can claim three of those, including the third-highest grossing movie of all time in Jurassic World. In fact, Universal’s movies have grossed the company over $2 billion just in North America, so obviously they would already be having a great year and summer.

This weekend they released the hip-hop biopic Straight Outta Compton, based on the rise and fall of L.A.’s premiere gangsta rap group N.W.A, which was another monster hit for the studio. Directed by F. Gary Gray and starring O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr. and Paul Giamatti, Straight Outta Compton scored $4.9 million in Thursday previews and $24.2 million on Friday including those previews. Its estimated $56.1 opening weekend makes it the highest-opening biopic ever, even surpassing the $51 million opening of Universal’s Eminem drama 8 Mile back in 2002.

It also scored the highest August opening for an R-rated film and with an “A” CinemaScore and a surprising 52% female audience, it’s likely to continue to do well over the rest of the summer leading into the generally slower September and October months.

UPDATE: Universal Pictures is now reporting that Straight Outta Compton brought in $60.2 million in actual box office for the weekend after Sunday did far better than originally projected. That would put it right in line with M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs as the fifth-highest opening for an August release.