Sunday March 19, 2017
Another Right-Wing Boycott Goes Bust as 'Beauty and the Beast' Breaks Box-Office Records
“Cute dress.”
Holy shit.
The live action “Beauty and the Beast,” starring Emma Watson, grossed $170 million over the weekend. In three days it made more in the U.S. than “The LEGO Batman Movie” has made in 38 days.
It's the 7th-biggest opening weekend ever, and the biggest that doesn't include superheroes, light sabres or dinosaurs. It's also Watson's biggest opener—by $1 million. The final “Harry Potter” opened to $169 in July 2011. Oh, and it's the biggest opener in March, wiping away last year's blemish, “Batman v. Superman,” by $4 mil.
One hopes this whopping weekend sends a message or two:
- To Hollywood: We don't need another hero. A heroine can work.
- To right-wingers: Try boycotting something that has a chance in hell of working.
In the last few months, conservatives have boycotted “Hamilton,” Starbucks, and this. They objected to this because there's a gay character in it. Cue: Randy Rainbow with the rebuttal.
Elsewhere, in its second weekend, “Kong: Skull Island” fell off by only 53%, not bad, but it's still only at $110 million. Not the tentpole Warner Bros. was hoping for.
In its third weekend, “Logan” fell of by 54% for another $17.5 and an overall domestic gross of $184 million. That's No. 1 on the year ... for another day or two. Then it gets swamped by Emma.
Jordan Peele's horror film/social commentary “Get Out” pulled in another $13 mil for a domestic take of $133.
Twitter: @ErikLundegaard
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