Black Films That Did Better At The Box Office Than Critics Expected

Fruitvale Station

Talk about an indie film exceeding expectations — Fruitvale Station surprised everyone this past weekend at the box office taking in $4.7 million during its first nationwide opening. The movie based on the real life tragedy of Oscar Grant has seen tremendous support with expectations to do far better in the upcoming weeks. 

Think Like a Man

Go ahead Steve Harvey!

Reigning as the number one comedy at the box office for quite some time, Think Like a Man did extremely well with moviegoers. Based on Steve Harvey’s New York Times bestselling book, TLAM cost an estimated $12 million to make, but grossed close to $92 million nationwide! This is a pretty awesome accomplishment as the film featured a predominately all-black cast that included Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Gabrielle Union and many more.

42

The biopic 42 not only displayed black history on the big screen, but made history as the first-ever baseball-themed film to gross over $20 million its opening weekend. Starring Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson alongside Harrison Ford, 42 told the story of the first African-American in Major League Baseball, his struggles and hope for change. Overall, the film grossed a whopping $95 million nationwide making it a home run.

Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor

When you hear the name Tyler Perry, you are either cheering in support or jeering in opposition. Many can’t seem to get past the cross-dressing antics that made him popular, but truth be told, he is more than that. His most recent film, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (he wrote and directed), debuted third over the Easter weekend, and pulled in $22.3 million. This was not too shabby considering its all-black cast. In the end, Temptations would do pretty well in theaters, raking in close to $52 million nationwide.

Olympus Has Fallen

Did you know this film was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day)? The movie which starred Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett was full of action as a group of terrorists tried to take over the White House. Doing better than the other movie about White House invaders (White House Down), Olympus Has Fallen premiered opening weekend grossing $30.5 million. It also received a surprising A- CinemaScore and took home an overall $98.8 million nationwide.

Let Me Explain

Kevin Hart is more than a comedian, he is a businessman… and a business, man. Hart has played it smart, producing his own stand-up comedy films under his own label, Hart Beat Productions – not to mention having a successful faux-reality show (The Real Husbands of Hollywood) on BET. His recent venture, Let Me Explain brings his sold out Madison Square Garden show to the big screen. Wait, he got paid twice for the same thing? Business, man.

While this summer may have been slow for movies, nothing was stopping Kevin at the box office as reports claimed Let Me Explain earned $7.4 million in just two days. Overall, the little grown man did quite well for himself as his stand-up act took in $31.4 million nationwide. Turn up!

Jumping the Broom

If there ever was a Little Engine That Could, it would be this movie as it had a small budget of $6 million and did extremely well in theaters. Produced by Bishop T.D. Jakes, the all-black movie debuted in third place pulling in an awesome $15.2 million. There definitely was some creative marketing as everyone from church goers to the members of the community were spreading the word to see this film. The end result was extremely positive as Jumping the Broom grossed $37.2 across theaters nationwide.

Red Tails

George Lucas (Star Wars creator) fought long and extremely hard to have this movie told. Revealing behind the scenes truths of racism (or racial reluctance) in the industry, Lucas told how he was unable to find backers for his film with an all-black cast. He even had to use his own money to make the film. Though Red Tails fell a bit short in overall numbers (grossed $49.8 million nationwide, but cost an estimated $58 million to make), it exceeded expectations at the box office, making its debut at number two (grossed $19 million opening weekend). That success alone will hopefully alter some naysayers’ minds for the better.

Precious

Making a strong debut at the Sundance Film Festival, Precious took theaters by storm in both its limited and nationwide release. The movie based on the book, Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire commanded $1.8 million from just 18 theaters its opening weekend. Eventually grossing $47.5 million overall, the film executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry later received tons of praise, including an Academy Award for Mo’Nique for Best Supporting Actress.

Hancock

When trailers for Hancock first started to roll out, you kinda had no idea what it was about. Sure it was to star Will Smith with some superhuman powers, but was he a hobo, weird guy or missing character from the Avengers? Gearing up to make its debut Fourth of July weekend, the film did not receive great expectations (or reviews) from critics. But as old Will is a heavyweight when it comes to films opening 4th of July weekend, perhaps we should have had more faith.

Bringing in $66 million opening weekend, Hancock quickly became Smith’s fifth number one movie during the the Fourth of July holiday. There is no denying his star power and ability to get people into theaters (well… at least until After Earth) as the film grossed in total $227.9 million nationwide.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

When it came to Tyler Perry’s first feature film, urban audiences across the country didn’t care what the critics had to say… they were going to see that movie. Based on his successful stage play, Diary of a Mad Black Woman pulled in amazing numbers opening weekend earning $21.9 million. These are definitely not bad figures seeing as the film reportedly had a budget of $5.5 million. Overall, Tyler and Madea were quite happy heading to the bank as the film grossed a total $50.3 million nationwide.

New Jack City

Who says inner city dramas can’t do well in theaters? Coming in second opening weekend behind Silence of the Lambs, New Jack City did surprisingly well, pulling in an estimated $7 million its first weekend. The film that starred Wesley Snipes, Ice T and Allen Payne told the story of a crime lord and his effects on a neighborhood in New York City. In the end, New Jack City fared well in theaters grossing $47.6 million nationwide.

Waiting to Exhale

It’s still hard to believe that a movie based on a Terry McMillan book beat out films like Toy Story, Jumanji, Heat and Sabrina its opening weekend. But guess what? It did. Pulling in an amazing $14.3 million over its Christmas holiday debut, Waiting to Exhale exceeded all expectations later earning $67 million nationwide.

Boyz N’ the Hood

While some critics praised John Singleton’s Boyz N’ the Hood and the depiction of its characters, many did not have super high hopes of the film pulling in strong numbers at the box office. Getting off to a rocky start opening weekend with reports of theater violence around the country, production company Columbia Pictures made the decision to pull Boyz from certain theaters. Regardless of the mayhem, the movie did quite well opening third after Terminator 2 and 101 Dalmations (earned $10 million). Overall, the film would prove to be amazing raking in $57 million nationwide.

(Sidebar: Some are calling it the predecessor to Fruitvale Station.)

Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee is notorious for pushing the envelope when it comes to race and social issues. Two films into his career (She’s Gotta Have it and School Daze), critics were ready for a project that would dive straight into racial tensions. Do The Right Thing did okay its opening weekend at the box office considering his past ventures. It placed fifth opening weekend and grossed $3.5 million, more than his previous films combined. It would seem that America was willing to give Spike’s film the attention it deserved as the $6.5 million budget movie earned $27.5 million nationwide.

Radio Raheem forever!