"Straight Outta Compton" conquered the box office this weekend with an opening of a whopping $56.1 million. The Universal Studios release, based on rap group N.W.A, surpassed "American Pie 2" to become the biggest-ever August debut for an R-rated movie, according to IGN.
Coming in at second place was the Tom Cruise action movie "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation," which made $17 million in its third weekend, followed by Warner Bros.' "The Man From U.N.C.L.E," amassing just over $13.5 million.
"Straight Outta Compton" follows the story of the groundbreaking hip-hop group N.W.A and was produced with a budget of only $29 million. Its impressive box office opening overshadowed other rap movies including Eminem's "8 Mile," which opened at $51.2 million in 2002, and "Notorious," the biopic on Notorious B.I.G., which raked in $20.5 million back in 2009, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Surviving N.W.A members Dr. Dre and Ice Cube produced the film, which stars Ice Cube's son O' Shea Jackson Jr., who plays the role of his father; Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre; Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E; Aldis Hodge as MC Ren; and Neil Brown Jr. as DJ Yella.
Nick Carpou, Universal's president of domestic distribution, said it was "elated" with how well the film has been received by audiences. The company had previously predicted a very conservative $25 to $30 million opening for the film, CBS News reported.
