Hitmans Bodyguard Beats Logan Lucky at Box Office With 216 Million Debut
The R-rated action comedy Hitman's Bodyguard fired through its opening weekend with a 21.6 million debut, nabbing the top slot at the box office. With leads like mega-stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds and Salma Hayek, the film surpassed its closest competition, horror film Annabelle Creation, which earned 15.5 million. It also outdid its comedic rival, Logan Lucky, which earned 8 million in its opening weekend. While Hitman's Bodyguard received mixed reviews by critics, its star power likely drew audiences this weekend  which was a slow one for the summer without any blockbuster competition in theaters. The film follows one of the world's top bodyguards Reynolds as he is forced to protect his enemy, a notorious hitman Jackson. The film received a lackluster 38 on Rotten Tomatoes  but audiences appeared to enjoy it more than critics, giving it a 75 rating on the site. The latest in the Conjuring world from Warner Bros. Annabelles box office earnings this week dropped 56 from its debut weekend of 35 million. Logan Lucky, which stars Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Riley Keough, earned better reviews than Hitman's Bodyguard with 93 on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety attributes the film's slow start with "an unconventional production and marketing strategy" from the film's director Steven Soderbergh, who released the film through indie distributor Bleecker Street. Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and Open road's The Nut Job 2 Nutty By Nature, filled out the top five, earning 6.7 million and 5.1 million over the weekend, respectively.