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APEX Hollywood Shortlist: Action-Comedy Spy Shakes, Stirs and Spoofs Its Way to the Number One Spot at Weekend B.O.

June 9, 2015  | Written by Tomas Romero

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Proving that Mad Max: Fury Road’s Imperator Furiosa and Pitch Perfect 2’s Barden Bellas aren’t the only women with box office wattage to burn this summer, Oscar-nominee Melissa McCarthy’s action-comedy Spy (Fox) roundhouse-kicked its way to a smashing $29M opening over the weekend. Re-teaming with her Bridesmaids’ writer-director Paul Feig and co-star Rose Byrne, McCarthy proved that her “particular set of skills” translate into any language by wracking up another $56.5M on the foreign front as well.

Aided by a very game supporting cast featuring Jude Law, Jason Statham, Alison Janey, Bobby Cannavale and 50 Cent, the only thing standing between McCarthy and Feig’s inspired spycraft and the $100M brass ring at this point is a little something called Jurassic World, which opens on Friday. But if this summer’s box office returns have taught us anything, it’s that there is more than enough room for everyone at the box office this season. So, expect the unexpected.

Speaking of unexpected, the third entry in the hugely popular Insidious horror film franchise, Insidious: Chapter 3 gave Spy a real run for its money on Friday with a one day take of $10.4M to Spy’s one day tally of $10.3M. And though Spy’s lead widened on Saturday and Sunday, Insidious: Chapter 3 was still be able to slay most of the competition for a third place finish of $22.6M.

Directed by first-time helmer Leigh Whannell – who wrote the first two films in the series and plays fan-favorite Specs in all three chapters of the franchise – Insidious: Chapter 3 is a prequel of sorts to the freaky happenings of the other films and features the triumphant return of horror-film veteran Lin Shaye as paranormal investigator Elise Rainer. Killed off in the first Insidious, Shaye proved to be so popular with fans that she cameoed as a ghost and in flashbacks in 2013’s Insidious: Chapter 2. But if the film geek chatter on social media is to be believed, Shaye truly hits her stride with her third time at bat, making a fourth outing for the Insidious franchise as inevitable as those creepy posters haunting bus shelters everywhere in Los Angeles.

Another movie responsible for more than its share of splashy bus shelter posters is Warner Brothers’ big screen adaptation of the Emmy-winning HBO series Entourage, which opened in fourth place with $10.2M. And though that might not be the opening Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and company hoped for, Hollywood types should know by now that one underestimates Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) at one’s own peril… so, stay tuned!

Complete Box Office Results – June 5 – 7, 2015