The Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” took its bows and its curtain call, and emerged as the champion of the box office in its opening weekend.
The 20th Century Fox FOX, -0.26% film, starring Rami Malek as the iconic Queen frontman, earned an impressive $50 million domestically, the second-best-ever showing for a music biopic, behind 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton.” The movie added another $72 million overseas.
Despite a troubled production and middling reviews, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is already the biggest hit for Fox since “Deadpool 2” earlier this year.
Walt Disney Co.’s DIS, -0.79% holiday-themed fantasy “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” finished far back in second place, with a disappointing $20 million in its opening weekend. The family-friendly movie may be Disney’s biggest bust in more than two years, costing an estimated $125 million to make.
Tyler Perry’s R-rated comedy “Nobody’s Fool,” starring Tiffany Haddish, earned a meager $14 million for Viacom Inc.’s VIA, -2.08% Paramount, but that was good enough for third place. Holdovers “A Star Is Born” ($11.1 million), from AT&T’s T, +0.10% Warner Bros., and “Halloween” ($11 million), from Comcast Corp.’s CMCSA, -0.76% Universal, rounded out the top five.
