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    Back to Hollywood Breakdown

    Hollywood Breakdown

    'Straight Outta Compton' Adds to Universal's Winning Streak

    Universal is having a stellar summer, and the box office success of Straight Outta Compton continues what has been a great run of diverse films in 2015.

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    KCRW placeholderBy Matthew Belloni • Aug 20, 2015 • 3m Listen

    Straight Outta Compton made more than $60 million opening weekend and is on track to take in another $30 million this weekend. The NWA biopic cost only $29 million to make, which means it's another big success for Universal Pictures. It's a historic year for Universal. Thanks to movies like Jurassic World, Furious 7 and Minions, the studio has made $5 billion at the global box office this year -- faster than any studio in history -- and they've done it with a diverse slate that includes a mix of franchises and more unorthodox hits like Compton. Universal's success especially stings for Warner Bros, which used to be the king of the summer box office, but has had several big flops this year, and was developing Compton, but after languishing for years, let it go to Universal.

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      Matthew Belloni

      founding partner of Puck News

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michael Schneider

      Senior editor at Variety

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      Kaitlin Parker

      Producer, 'The Business' and 'Hollywood Breakdown'

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