NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

‘Compton’ stays straight, again leads box office with $26.8M

NEW YORK

“Straight Outta Compton” easily maintained its box-office lead with an estimated $26.8 million in ticket sales over a sleepy late-summer weekend at North American multiplexes, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Universal’s N.W.A biopic, a much buzzed-about hit, dominated over the late- August releases that often characterize Hollywood’s dog days of summer. It has made $111.5 million in two weeks, and continued to drive moviegoers, both male and female, despite renewed charges of misogyny in N.W.A lyrics and the film’s overlooking claims of Dr. Dre’s abuse of women.

In a statement Friday, the rapper and producer of “Straight Outta Compton” said: “I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.”

Of the weekend’s new releases, the low-budget horror sequel “Sinister 2” fared best, opening with an estimated $10.6 million for the Blumhouse production – well below the $18 million the 2012 original debuted with. The result was good enough for third place, behind Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” which made $11.7 million in its fourth weekend of release.

Fox’s assassin thriller “Hitman: Agent 47,” the second attempt in eight years to adapt the popular video game, disappointed with $8.2 million. It will hope to do better abroad, where the 2007 original made $60.3 million. It began with $8.5 million over the weekend internationally.

Lionsgate’s stoner action-comedy “American Ultra,” starring Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg, also failed to spark much interest, opening with $5.5 million.

The three new releases – all violent, R-rated, poorly reviewed options – divided up a similar audience. The box office was down 7.5 percent from the same weekend last year, according to box-office data firm Rentrak.

2 girls injured after rapper Fetty Wap jumps from stage

WANTAGH, N.Y.

Two girls suffered minor injuries after rapper Fetty Wap jumped off stage and into the crowd at the Billboard Hot 100 festival on Long Island.

Newsday reports the girls became trapped under a fence Sunday afternoon when the crowd rushed the stage.

Wap is one of two dozen artists performing at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre. Others include Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne.

More than 1,000 fans were in the audience as a group pushed forward to take photos and video of the entertainer.

The newspaper says the girls were treated by medics backstage.

Wap returned to the stage minutes later and apologized before continuing with the performance.

Representatives for Wap, whose real name is Freddy Maxwell, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Associated Press