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 Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart co-star in "The Upside," which
marks the studio's first No. 1 opening. It also ranks as STX
Film's second-best start behind "Bad Moms," which launched with
$23 million in 2016.
The box office victory comes as Hart has been in the headlines
for whether or not he would host the Oscars. The comedian was
tapped to emcee the industry's biggest night, but stepped down
when controversy sparked over homophobic jokes he made in the
past.
What's even more promising for STX is "The Upside," based on the
2011 French hit "Les Intouchables," was able to overcome its
rocky path to the big screen. The Weinstein Company was
originally on board to distribute the comedic drama about a
quadriplegic billionaire who befriends an ex-convict hired to
help him. It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film
Festival but was shelved after sexual assault allegations
against Harvey Weinstein came to light. STX and Lantern Capital
then purchased the rights and worked with director Neil Burger
to recut the movie from an R rating to PG-13 in hopes that would
make "The Upside" more accessible for a broader audience.
"When I look at where the movie overperformed, I think [its
rating] was a beneficial contributor," said Adam Fogelson, STX's
Motion Picture Group chairman. Fogelson added, "Kevin is in
rarified company when it comes to the level of support of his
fans."
Critics weren't particularly impressed with the tag-team of
Cranston and Hart (it has a 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but
audiences seem to be embracing the film with an A Cinemascore.
The real winner in theaters this weekend, however, has to be
Nicole Kidman. The Australian actress co-stars in "The Upside"
and "Aquaman," the top two movies at the domestic box office.
Kidman and her Atlantean cohorts -- including the king himself,
Jason Momoa, and director James Wan -- have plenty to celebrate.
Warner Bros.' DC superhero adventure blew past the $1 billion
mark worldwide.
"Aquaman" dropped to the No. 2 spot, picking up a solid $17
million from 3,863 venues in its fourth weekend of release. That
takes its domestic tally to $287 million. The tentpole is DC's
first comic-book entry to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales
since "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2012.
Sony's "A Dog's Way Home" opened in third place. The PG
adventure about a dog (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) who gets
separated from her owner debuted on par with estimates, earning
$11 million from 3,090 theaters. It's a promising start since
the movie, co-starring Ashley Judd and Edward James Olmos, cost
$18 million to produce.
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Other new releases weren't as fortunate. Entertainment Studio's
"Replicas" misfired with a dismal $2.5 million from 2,329 locations.
Keanu Reeves stars in the sci-fi thriller -- which isn't fairing
much better overseas, where it has generated $3.5 million.
Elsewhere, Participant Media's Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic "On the
Basis of Sex" had a promising expansion, bringing in $6.2 million
when it hit 1,923 theaters. Felicity Jones portrays a young version
of the supreme court justice in the legal drama, which has amassed
$10.5 million since its platform release.
Annapurna's "If Beale Street Could Talk" also expanded nationwide
this weekend, pocketing $2.3 million from 1,018 screens during the
three-day frame. The Oscar hopeful, written and directed by Barry
Jenkins, has made $7.6 million.
A number of other awards contenders were hoping to get a boost from
last weekend's Golden Globes. Annapurna's "Vice," a scathing look at
Dick Cheney, rounded out the top 10 with $3.2 million for a domestic
total of $35 million. Adam McKay directed the biopic, which cost $60
million.
The Globes' big winner "Bohemian Rhapsody" saw the benefit of a few
statues. Fox's Queen biopic, starring Rami Malek as the legendary
frontman Freddy Mercury, drummed up another $3 million in its 11th
week of release, a 33 percent hike to take its domestic haul just
short of $200 million. It currently sits at $198 million in North
America and $553 million internationally. "Bohemian Rhapsody" can
also thank the sing-along screenings at 750 domestic locations for
the increase in ticket sales. Those versions displayed lyrics on
screen, encouraging audiences to clap their hands and stop their
feet to hits like "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions."
Universal and DreamWorks' "Green Book" was another title hoping to
turn some awards glory into ticket sales. The feel-good drama that
has been riddled with even more controversy since picking up three
Golden Globe awards last Sunday, earned $2.1 million this weekend
for a domestic total of $38.5 million.
A pair of Sony titles rounded out the top five. "Spider-Man: Into
the Spider-Verse" added another $9 million for a total of $147
million. Meanwhile, the studio's psychological thriller "Escape
Room" brought in $8.9 million, marking a 50 percent decline from its
opening weekend and taking its domestic bounty to $32 million.
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