Lee Daniels’ The Butler Takes First at Box Office
Despite a clutch of new films in theaters this weekend, Lee Daniels’ The Butler topped them all, serving up $25 million, according to studio estimates.
The victory came as a surprise to some analysts, who expected summer’s latest superhero flick, Kick-Ass 2, to whip the competition.
But The Butler trounced the newcomers among critics, and connected solidly with fans. About 73% of reviewers recommended the movie, while it scored an 81% approval rating among moviegoers, says survey site Rottentomatoes.com. The movie earned an “A” among audiences, says pollsters CinemaScore.
At this point, we’re contractually obligated to mention the movie co-stars Terrence Howard, who has been accused by a number of exes of violence against them. But we’d rather just remind you that the director, Lee Daniels, is a Philly native.
