Fox’s serio comedy, Hidden Figures, grossed a solid $1.2 million from 2,250 new locations on Thursday night previews as it expands into wide release.
Hidden Figures, which is about a group of female African-American mathematicians and scientists in the early days of America’s space program, has been performing well in limited release.
It had grossed $2.9 million from only 25 locations since December 25.
Hidden Figures has been forecast to pull in between $16 million to $18 million this weekend as it moves to 2,471 locations Friday.
The awards season contender has a modest $25 million budget with a cast including Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Kevin Costner.
Pharrell Williams wrote several new songs for the movie.
Henson plays math genius Katherine Johnson with Spencer playing Dorothy Vaughan and Monae as Mary Jackson. The trio helped NASA start catching up to the Russians in the space race with John Glenn becoming the first American astronaut to make a complete orbit of Earth in 1962.
Spencer is contending in the supporting actress category at Sunday’s Golden Globes and for the SAG Awards.
The cast received an ensemble nomination for the SAG Awards and the screenplay, adapted from Margot Lee Shetterly’s book, received a nomination from the Writers Guild of America for Allison Schroeder and director Ted Melfi.
The producers are Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping through Chernin Entertainment, Donna Gigliotti of Levantine Films, Melfi and Williams.
