Despite low cost, ‘Get Out’ cashes in

By Jake Coyle

AP Film Writer

NEW YORK

There have been monster gorillas and sharp-clawed superheroes at the box office this month, but the biggest beast of them all has been Jordan Peele’s $4.5 million, race-exploding thriller “Get Out.”

In just 16 days, Peele’s low-budget self-described “social horror” film has already crossed the $100 million mark. While “Get Out,” made by Blumhouse Productions and released by Universal Pictures, doesn’t match the hefty global totals of “Logan” or “Kong: Skull Island,” few films can touch its extreme profitability – or its firm grip of the zeitgeist.

“‘Get Out’ isn’t a Redbox, VOD, iTunes movie,” Peele said recently on Twitter. “If you don’t see it with the theater energy, you’ll miss the full intended experience.”

And moviegoers have taken the advice. “Get Out” made $21.1 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to $111 million. Whereas most movies – especially horror films – drop considerably after opening weekend, “Get Out” has barely slipped. It dropped about 15 percent after its first weekend, and 25 percent after its second.

“Get Out,” which is the directorial debut of the former “Key and Peele” star, first led the box office the same weekend “Moonlight” won best picture at the Academy Awards. It also follows the spectacular success of the Oscar-nominated “Hidden Figures,” which has made more than $160 million since its No. 1 wide-release debut in early January.

The success of “Get Out,” according to Hollywood analyst Paul Dergarabedian, has been driven by its quality.