Weekend Preview 2015: 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' Will Open Alongside 'Straight Out of Compton'
Two very different films are set to be released to try and boost the final weeks of the summer season. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E" will be revived by Warner Bros. while "Straight Outta Compton" will be a great feature for music fans.
Weekend Highlights
"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." - Based on the popular 1960s show, Guy Ritchie brings back the spy thriller in this new adaptation. The new film tells the story of CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin who join forces on a mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working on creating nuclear weapons. Starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki, the film boasts strong reviews which should definitely help its debut. It should also engage audiences who loved the original show and fans of spy thrillers like James Bond. However, the film may struggle to make a big dent at the box office given the fact that the movie's stars rarely obtain huge box office openings.
"Straight Outta Compton" - Based on the life of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, this drama tells the story of how the group NWA emerged from the streets of Compton, California in the mid-1980s and how they changed Hip Hop forever. Universal is releasing the drama which has scored rave reviews. Critics are calling the film funny and entertaining and a first rate biopic. Universal has been marketing the film heavily and the title font has gone viral throughout the Internet. Early box office predictions suggest that the film should open with at least $43 million and could even open higher. If it does, that would be good news for the biopic film. With a huge pull, expect hip hop and music fans to show up to theaters.
Other Releases
Noah Baumbach will release his second film of the year. After the success of "While We're Young," Fox Searchlight will take on "Mistress America." The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it scored rave reviews. Greta Gerwig reunites with Baumbach after the success of "Frances Ha" and "Greenberg." Fox will release it in limited release and later expand it.
Meanwhile Cohen Media Group will release "Paulette" while Amplify will release "Tom at the Farm" by Xavier Dolan. Like Baumbach, this is Dolan's second film of the year as "Mommy" was released at the beginning of the year. "Tom at the Farm" premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it scored rave reviews.
The Film Arcade will release "People Places Things" and China Lion will have "Go Away Mr. Tumor. " BBC Worldwide North America will release the documentary "We Come as Friends."
Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike and Shiloh Fernandez unite for the thriller "Return to Sender" while the Sundance documentary "Meru" hits theaters.
For those not interested in any of these releases, "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" and "Fantastic Four" will continue their theatrical runs. "The Gift" and "Ricki and the Flash" will expand after their solid opening weekends. "Ant-Man" will also continue to hold strong.