N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton continues to cruise into elite box office territory as it sets yet another cinematic record. With the film pulling in an estimated $157.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, director F. Gary Gray has officially become the highest-grossing black director of a single film in domestic sales. Gray has edged out Keenen Ivory Wayans, whose classic Scary Movie film raked in $157 million back in 2000, and Tim Story, who earned $154.6 with Fantastic Four in 2005.
While Gray now holds the domestic crown amongst his peers, Straight Outta Compton has yet to break the international box office ground of Wayans and Story. At $24.9 million in foreign ticket sales, the film lags behind Scary Movie, which did $121 million internationally, and Fantastic Four, which outperformed both movies overseas with $175.8 in foreign sales. Straight Outta Compton is the only film in the bunch that is based on a true story, however, and is also set apart as a “hip-hop” film.
“There’s a humanity to the story that you wouldn’t normally associate with this genre of music,” Gray told Vice. “That was important to me. I want you to get to know the guys behind the tracks, behind the lyrics and beats, and get a sense of them as human beings. That’s what makes this special, because you can’t just google ‘N.W.A.’ and get these details.”
Upon the movie’s colossal opening weekend, Gray took to Twitter with shock and gratitude:
You really showed up for us this weekend, I’m overwhelmed by the love & support. Thank you! Seriously, THANK YOU!!! pic.twitter.com/yicDVTRC50
— F Gary Gray (@FGaryGray) August 17, 2015
Bravo, F. Gary Gray. Bravo.
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