Universal's 'Straight Outta Compton' opens with $56.1 million

Straight Outta Compton debuted at number one at the box office this week with $56.1 million in the United States and Canada.

The movie lifted the box office “out of its August funk,” according to the Los Angeles Times and was no surprise because of the huge following of the rap group N.W.A, who the movie is based off of, as well as the intense social media coverage the film has received.

Straight Outta Compton posted the biggest August opening for an R-rated film as well as becoming the number one musical biopic. Nicholas Carpou, the head of domestic distribution for Universal Pictures who co-financed the film, said few expected the film to have as big an opening as it did. “I think there was great hope that it would resonate,” Carpou said. “And it did that, but it also turned around the box office.”

The film follows N.W.A’s scrappy beginnings in mid-’80s Los Angeles onto their unlikely success and the death of member Eazy-E. The group also includes DJ Yella, MC Ren as well as Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, who served as co-producers on the film.

Although no security incidents have been reported, movie theaters in major cities across the country have hired additional security guards for the film in light of recent fatal theater shootings, including one in July during a screening of Trainwreck in Lafayette, La.

Universal Pictures has offered to cover the costs of hiring additional security.

Photo Credit: Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com