‘Straight Outta Compton’ slams weekend box office with $60 million

Universal’s music biopic of N.W.A.  Straight Outta Compton slams weekend box office with a $60 million debut, defying expectations, nearly doubling its $29 million budget, and breaking the record for the biggest opening for an R-rated film in August. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the pic tells the compelling story of N.W.A.’s inception and subsequent rise in popularity. While African-Americans made up 46% of the opening weekend audience, the film actually demonstrated some serious crossover appeal.

* “Compton” ranks at No. 100 on the list of biggest opening-day gross ($24.2 million domestic), just one slot and less than $100,000 behind Marvel’s 2003 “Hulk” (and ahead of “Ant-Man’s” $22.64 million).

* Even more impressive, “Compton” sits at No. 81 all-time for best weekend theater average ($20,348 domestic), according to BoxOfficeMojo.com, a hair behind “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” ($20,751) and ahead of “Spider-Man” ($19,755). (It’s worth noting, too, that “Ant-Man” opened in 1,000-plus more theaters than “Compton.”)

* “Compton’s” opening three-day gross is ahead of 2005’s “Fantastic Four” ($56.06 million domestic), “The Incredible Hulk” ($55.4-million) and “X-Men: First Class” ($55.1 million).

* “Compton” had the 10th best opening weekend ever for an R-rated film, ousting Warner Bros./DC’s “Watchmen” ($55.2 million domestic) from that slot.