Box Office: ‘Angel Has Fallen’ Heads for $20 Million Opening Weekend

Nate Nickolai

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Lionsgate and Millennium’s “Angel Has Fallen” is performing above expectations, taking in $7.9 million in Friday’s domestic ticket sales as it heads to a projected $20 million opening weekend.

Early estimates originally placed the third installment of the “Fallen” series within the $12 million to $16 million range, but a solid 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and some strong star power from leads Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler appear to be bolstering its box office appearance.

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Previous iterations within the franchise performed similarly, with 2016’s “London Has Fallen” opening to $21.6 million and 2013’s “Olympus Has Fallen” nabbing a higher $30 million.

Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, “Angel Has Fallen” follows secret service agent Mike Banning (Butler) who is falsely accused of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Freeman). Also starring are Jada Pinkett Smith, Tim Blake Nelson, Piper Perabo and Nick Nolte.

Far behind “Angel Has Fallen” is Universal’s comedy hit “Good Boys,” which took in $3.4 million in Friday ticket sales. After dominating the box office last weekend, the film is set to take home an estimated $11 million in its sophomore weekend.

Sony Pictures faith-based “Overcomer” is coming in at No. 3 this weekend with $3 million in domestic ticket sales on Friday for a projected $7.1 million opening weekend. Director Alex Kendrick also stars in the film about a high school coach whose faith is tested.

Rounding out the top five is Disney’s “Lion King,” which continues to pull in audiences as it heads toward another $8.6 million come Sunday, and “Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” which nabbed $2.1 million on Friday for a projected $8 million weekend.

“Hobbs & Shaw” is also set to cross the $500 million mark this weekend as it heads toward a huge $106 million opening in China. If estimates hold, that would mark China’s biggest August opening weekend of all-time.

Newcomer “Ready or Not,” finished outside the top five, scaring up $2.4 million in Friday’s ticket sales as it heads toward a $7 million opening weekend. That’s not including the film’s early opening on Wednesday, which will likely push its total to around $10 million.

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