• Entertainment & Connectivity

APEX Hollywood Shortlist: Pitch Perfect 2 Hits the High Note with Singing Global Haul of $107.3M

May 19, 2015  | Written by Tomas Romero

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Proving that 2012’s girl-powered musical comedy Pitch Perfect was no one hit wonder, Universal’s hotly anticipated sequel, the aptly titled Pitch Perfect 2, took in an aca-amazing $69.2M over the weekend. To put that in perspective, PP2 took in more in three days than the original Pitch Perfect did in its entire $65M theatrical run three years ago. Can I get an aca-men?

Written by Kay Cannon, who also penned the first film, PP2 was produced once again by actress Elizabeth Banks who, aside from returning as an a cappella-commentator extraordinaire, also directed this time around. Armed with killer social media buzz, more heated sequel chatter than you can blow a pitch pipe at, and a white-hot soundtrack featuring not just one but two breakout songs (“Flashlight” and “Crazy Youngsters”), PP2 is looking to have a pretty aca-amazing run at the box office.

Channeling female empowerment of a different sort, the fourth film in George Miller’s epic, hard-charging Mad Max series, Mad Max: Fury Road had a fairly explosive weekend as well, opening in second place with $45.4M. The first Mad Max film in 30 years, Fury Road stars Tom Hardy as the titular badass bent on redemption; but, the real buzz has been about the film’s boldly feminist undercurrents. Leading the charge in that regard is Oscar-winner Charlize Theron in a daring, go-for-broke performance as a woman trying to change the status quo in a world gone, well, mad.

Already gearing up for a sequel based on Fury Road’s worldwide take of $110.4M, writer-director Miller and Warner Bros. should load up on gas and water now, because it looks like they’re gonna be in the post-apocalyptic thriller business for the long haul.

And speaking of the long haul, another title opening just outside the top ten with $457.2K was Godspeed Pictures and Roadside Attraction’s inspirational, faith-based drama, Where Hope Grows. Featuring David DeSanctis, who has Down Syndrome in real life, in a star-making role as a young produce clerk who changes the lives of everyone he encounters for the better, Grows is the latest faith-based film to connect with wider audiences following March’s Do You Believe? (which is holding steady at $12.8M) and Little Boy, which has garnered $5.9M since opening at the end of April.

Complete Box Office Results – May 15 – 17, 2015