Subscribe
NewsOne Featured Video
CLOSE

Black girl magic can’t stop and won’t stop!

The hilarious comedy Girls Trip, starring four amazing Black women, surpassed expectations this weekend, The Washington Post reports. The movie with Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish took the second spot at the box office this weekend, with an estimated $30.8 million in sales.

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the R-rated comedy from Universal Pictures tells the story of four lifelong friends heading to the Essence Festival for a fun and wild weekend.

The film arrives at a time when debates about diversity and inclusion in Hollywood are heating up, the Post report. Though Hollywood has historically underestimated the reach and popularity of films starring African-American women in lead roles, Girls Trip, along with other movies such as Hidden Figures, have proven that Black females can catapult films to great success.

I have been told my entire career ‘Black women can’t open films domestically or internationally,’ wrote Taraji P. Henson on Instagram after her megahit Hidden Figures, the story of three NASA scientists, opened at number one at the box office in January. “Well anything is possible. Most importantly this proves that PEOPLE LIKE GOOD MATERIAL. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GENDER OR RACE. Agreed?!”

A racially diverse audience went out to theaters to see Girls Trip on its debut weekend, according to Box Office Mojo, with African Americans having the largest representation at 59 percent. Nineteen percent of the audience was White, 17 percent  Hispanic and 3 percent Asian.

Girls Trip had the most successful opening for R-rated comedies, and the film is the “best showing for a live-action comedy so far,” writes The Hollywood Reporter.

We hope Hollywood will truly take note that African-American actors and actresses can achieve success with Black moviegoers and have crossover appeal.

SOURCE: The Washington Post, Box Office Mojo, The Hollywood Reporter

SEE ALSO:

‘Girls Trip’ Director Lands Another Hit & Deal With Universal

Hidden Figures & Sends Message To Girls Of Color: You Can Do Anything

25 Of The Greatest Black Movies
NewsOne Default Thumbnail
8 photos