Kevin Hart, endlessly in the news this month for hosing/no hosting the Oscars, has proven his power at the box office again with the launch of The Upside, co-starring Bryan Cranston.
Long-delayed, this dramedy was one of the last films made by disgraced Harvey Weinstein before his demise.
The Upside beat Aquaman with $19.6 million in a big victory. Before it opened, tracking pointed to no more than $9 million-$12 million domestically.
The Upside is also a win for STXfilms, which partnered with new Weinstein Co. owner Lantern Entertainment to distribute the movie. It’s the first time a title from STX has opened at No. 1, as well as marking the second-biggest debut for STX behind Bad Moms ($23.8 million).
Costing about $35 million to produce before marketing, The Upside world premiered at the 2017 Toronto Film Fest, but saw its original March 2018 release was shelved due to Weinstein’s downfall.
Rating: PG-13 instead of R
STX worked with director Neil Burger to recut the film — a remake of the 2011 French blockbuster The Intouchables — so that it could go out with a PG-13 rating, versus an R.
The Upside earned an A CinemaScore and strong exits, making up for withering reviews. Nicole Kidman also stars.
Audience Dominated by Ethnic Minority and Female Viewers
Playing to an ethnically diverse audience, The Upside hits theaters following the high-profile drama over whether or not Hart would host the upcoming Oscars show after the actor’s past homophobic comments resurfaced.
Females (59 percent) turned out in force, while 48 percent of ticket buyers were Caucasian, followed by African-Americans (23 percent), Hispanics (19 percent) and Asian-Other (10 percent), according to PostTrak.
Regional Success
The Upside fared best in the West and South, as well as posting strong numbers in the Midwest.
