‘The Hate U Give’ Makes Strong Box-Office Debut

The Hate U Give made an impressive debut this weekend at the specialty box office.

The police brutality drama from 20th Century Fox opened in limited release, earning an estimated $500,000 from 36 theaters across North America.

That averaged out to $13,889 per location in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Houston.

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Screenwriter Audrey Wells, who passed away on Oct. 4 just before the film opened, adapted the script from Angie Thomas’ bestselling novel.

George Tillman Jr. directed the film, with Amandla Stenberg leading the cast as Starr Carter,
a Harry Potter-obsessed high school student who witnesses the fatal shooting of Khalil, her childhood best friend, by a police officer.

Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Issa Rae, Common, Algee Smith, Anthony Mackie, K.J. Apa and Sabrina Carpenter round out the cast.

The Hate U Give has received positive reviews from film critics and has an impressive 97% score out of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes.

“A sophisticated adaptation of a hugely important book that adeptly handles its daunting themes, and provides a platform for a star-making performance from Amandla Stenberg,” Jimi Famurewa wrote in his review for Empire.

Linda Holmes of NPR added in her review, “While the ending seems a bit too neat, there’s value in this earnest examination, directed by George Tillman Jr., about how kids learn to be activists. Regina Hall and Russell Hornsby are very good as Starr’s parents.”

The film will expand nationwide, into more cities, on Oct. 19.

Elsewhere at the box office, Venom devoured ticket sales with an $80 million debut, and a first-place finish.

A Star Is Born sang its way to a stunning $41.2 million second-place opening.

Smallfoot was third with $14.9 million.

Last week’s leader, Night School, slipped to fourth place with $12.2 million, and The House With A Clock In Its Walls took fifth with $7.2 million.