BlacKkKlansman, the latest effort from director Spike Lee, is projected to earn one of his highest openings at the box office this weekend. Over the course of his prolific career, the filmmaker has earned much critical praise and a loyal fan base, but major commercial success has largely alluded him. His most financially successful movie is the 2006 heist thriller Inside Man, which earned $88.5 million during its theatrical run. No other work of Lee’s has come close to that number, and his last few have barely made a blip on the radar.
That seems set to change with the arrival of BlacKkKlansman. Based on an outrageous true story, the film received raves out of the Cannes Film Festival, with many calling it Lee’s best in years and a possible Oscar contender. Much like some of Lee’s standout films, BlacKkKlansman is also poised to seize the zeitgeist with a narrative that’s relevant to today’s times (and presents it in an entertaining fashion). These factors should help it find an audience, and it’s expected to do quite well for itself.
Per Box Office Pro, BlacKkKlansman is projected to earn about $12.2 million domestically in its first three days. That would be Lee’s second-biggest opening of all-time, trailing only the aforementioned Inside Man, which debuted with $28.9 million. Should things pan out this way, BlacKkKlansman would finish fourth for the weekend, but since it was moderately budgeted at $13-17 million, it should be on its way to turning a profit.
This weekend also sees the release of The Meg, a new action film starring Jason Statham. Though the final product seems to have been watered down from its original, gorier vision, most are in agreement that it still makes for a fun, end of the summer blockbuster that knows exactly what it is. Analysts believe The Meg will give Mission: Impossible - Fallout a run for its money and make a play for the #1 position. Its projected opening weekend is $22 million, slightly behind the $22.5 million intake for Fallout. Thanks to its enthusiastic reception, the Tom Cruise vehicle could emerge victorious for the third straight week.
Elsewhere in the top five, Christopher Robin is expected to come in third with $14.3 million, after it underperformed in its debut. Though the film was generally well-received, it failed to strike a chord like some of Disney’s other live-action films of years past and will have to settle for a much more modest haul. Another newcomer, Slender Man, should come in fifth with $10.8 million.
MORE: Read Screen Rant’s The Meg Review
Source: Box Office Pro
- black klansman Release Date: 2018-08-10
