Before hitting the road on a nationwide release, Universal’s awards contender “Green Book” got warmed up with a limited opening on 25 screens that earned $313,000 this weekend and a per screen average of $12,250.
Stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are expected to be awards contenders for their performances as Italian-American bodyguard Tony Lip and jazz icon Dr. Don Shirley. “Green Book” follows the friendship that grew between the two men as Tony escorted Shirley on his tour through the Jim Crow South, using the titular “Green Book” to find hotels that African-Americans were allowed to stay in.
As it opens wide this Thanksgiving weekend, “Green Book” will face tough competition from a crowded slate, particularly from “Creed II,” which is expected by box office analysts to bring in the bulk of African-American moviegoers.