Box
office: 'Good Boys' leads crowded weekend with $21
million
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[August 19, 2019]
By Rebecca Rubin
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com)
- The Bean Bag Boys, the self-appointed nickname for the
trio of best friends in Universal's "Good Boys," are
conquering much more than sixth grade. They are also
leading the domestic box office, exceeding expectations
and collecting $21 million on opening weekend.
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"Good Boys," which screened at 3,204 North American theaters, is
a much-needed win for original comedies, a genre that's been
struggling at the box office as of late. The Seth Rogen and Evan
Goldberg-produced movie is the first R-rated funny film to open
in first place in three years (since 2016's "The Boss"), as well
as the biggest opening for an original comedy this year.
The R-rated movie, carrying a $20 million price tag, also
debuted overseas with $2.1 million for a global start of $23.1
million.
Universal also took second place with "Hobbs & Shaw." The "Fast
& Furious" spinoff earned $14.1 million during its third outing,
boosting domestic ticket sales to $133 million.
This weekend's four other new releases struggled to varying
degrees.
Sony's "The Angry Birds Movie 2," which got a head start on the
weekend by opening Tuesday, finished with $16.2 million over the
six-day frame. The animated sequel landed in forth place on box
office charts, collecting $10 million during the traditional
weekend. That haul is a steep drop from the first film, based on
the once-popular phone app and video game, which scored $38
million in its inaugural weekend. The follow-up has the benefit
of better reviews and a smaller production budget compared to
the original.
Entertainment Studio's shark thriller "47 Meters Down: Uncaged"
also lacked the same bite as its predecessor. The movie opened
at No. 6, earning $9 million from 2,853 locations. The original
movie started small with $11 million but had a long run in
theaters, ultimately ending with $44 million in North America.
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Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and New Line's "Blinded by the Light" and
Annapurna's "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" both bombed, landing in
10th and 11th place.
Despite positive reviews, "Blinded by the Light" couldn't hit the
right tune with audiences and debuted with a dismal $4.5 million
from 2,307 screens. Directed by "Bend It Like Beckham" filmmaker
Gurinder Chadha, the coming-of age story follows a British Pakistani
teenager whose life is changed when he discovers Bruce Springsteen
music. The few moviegoers who did see the film this weekend seemed
to enjoy it, awarding it with an A- CinemaScore.
"Blinded by the Light" is ending summer on a rocky note for Warner
Bros., which missed with last weekend's mob thriller "The Kitchen"
and May's "Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
"Where'd You Go, Bernadette," directed by Richard Linklater and
based on Maria Stemple's novel, launched below expectations with a
disastrous $3.45 million. Cate Blanchett stars as the titular
Bernadette, who curiously disappears just before her family is set
to go on a big trip. The cast also includes Billy Crudup and Kristen
Wiig.
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