Angel Has Fallen packed more than enough punch to top the weekend box office with a $21.2 million debut, according to studio estimates gathered by Comscore.
The sequel surpassed expectations and scored a similar opening to the previous film in the franchise, 2016’s London Has Fallen.
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, the new film follows Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) who’s framed for the attempted assassination of the U.S. president, played by Morgan Freeman. The drama also stars Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick, Frederick Schmidt, Tim Blake Nelson, Piper Perabo, Nick Nolte, and Danny Huston.
It played in 3,286 theaters for a per location average of $6,467.
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The film is the third entry in the franchise and the first released by Lionsgate. Of the previous installments, Olympus Has Fallen opened in 2013 and went on to make $99 million at the domestic box office. In 2016, London Has Fallen earned just $62 million in domestic ticket sales, but picked up another $143 million overseas.
Critics weren’t exactly inspired by Angel Has Fallen, and gave it a meager 40 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Elsewhere, Universal’s Good Boys slipped to second place with $11.75 million, after topping the box office last weekend.
Sony’s Overcomer opened in third with $8.2 million. The faith-based film tells the story of a high-school basketball coach who volunteers to help a troubled teen in long-distance running. The film is co-written, directed and stars Alex Kendrick. Priscilla Shirer, Shari Rigby, Jack Sterner, Cameron Arnett and Aryn Wright-Thompson also star.
Disney’s The Lion King continues to roar, taking in another $8.15 million for a fourth place finish.
Universal’s Fast and Furious: Presents Hobbs and Shaw rounds out the top five with $8.14 million.
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