NOW SHOWING
“Straight Outta Compton”
Starring Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell and O’Shea Jackson Jr. Directed by F. Gary Gray. Rated R for language throughout, strong sexuality/nudity, violence, and drug use. In metro theaters. 2 hours, 27 minutes.
MORE COVERAGE
See AJC multimedia journalist Ryon Horne's interview with "Straight Outta Compton" producer Ice Cube, stars Jason Mitchell and O'Shea Jackson Jr. and director F. Gary Gray, along with video clips, online at bit.ly/1MvMKf2.
The Regal Atlantic Station theater sold more “Straight Outta Compton” tickets than any cinema in the country, Universal announced after the movie’s triumphant debut weekend.
Executive producer Will Packer celebrated the news on Twitter: “It’s OFFICIAL! The No. 1 theater in the country on ‘Compton’ was Regal Atlantic Station,” he posted on Monday. “Thank you ATL!”
He also tipped his hat to Mayor Kasim Reed, who responded, “No. 1 just sounds so good. Let’s keep it going. #FriendsHelpingFriends.”
The Los Angeles market overall was the strongest market, the Los Angeles Times reported, but the Atlantic Station theater was tops in actual tickets sold at an individual location.
The movie about the pioneering rap group N.W.A. opened Friday and was the weekend box-office champ, hauling in around $60 million. It tells of the origin of the five-man band, with the focus on Eric “Eazy-E” Wright, Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, and O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson — hip-hop’s first gangsta rap group.
“When we went into ‘Straight Outta Compton’ (production), we said we were going to keep it real, and it’s going to ruffle some feathers, and it’s going to be controversial,” director F. Gary Gray (“Friday,” “The Italian Job”) said during a recent interview. “But we should not back down, we should stand our ground just like (N.W.A.) did back in the ’80s. And we will make a classic.”
The film was produced by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.
“I believe in new talent,” Ice Cube said during the interview. “My whole career I’ve been breaking in new people and showing the world that there’s talent all through our neighborhoods.”
Ice Cube and Packer are frequent collaborators and no strangers to Atlanta, filming the buddy comedies “Ride Along” and “Ride Along 2” here. The original came out last year, and the sequel hits theaters in early 2016. Both star Ice Cube as a straight-laced officer and comedian-actor Kevin Hart as his outrageous sidekick.
“I look at Atlanta first and then everywhere else” as a filming location, Packer said during an interview with the AJC earlier this year. “The support I get makes it a lot easier to shoot here.”
“Compton” was filmed on location in California, but the local theater numbers illustrate Packer’s close ties with Atlanta.
“I always get a lot of support from this market,” he said. “I’m very hopeful that will continue. I love the city for many reasons and that’s one of them.”
About the Author
