That weekend gross made the film, which stars John Travolta and newcomer Nikki Blonsky, the third highest-grossing film of the July 20-22 weekend. "Hairspray" was bested only by "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" ($34,775,000) and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" ($32,185,000), according to boxofficemojo.com.
The nearly $30 million box-office take for "Hairspray" is the biggest opening for any movie musical on record, Variety reports. Previous record holders include 1982's "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" ($11 million) and 2005's "Rent" ($10 million). Both "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" opened in limited release.
Other top grossers for the weekend just ended include "Transformers," "Ratatouille," "Live Free or Die Hard," "License to Wed," "1408," "Evan Almighty" and "Knocked Up."
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"Hairspray," John Waters' tale of a young girl's dream to dance on television in 1960's Baltimore, came back to the big screen July 20 with the addition of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's Tony Award-winning score and a cast of Hollywood heavyweights. Adam Shankman directed and choreographed the film, which was adapted by Leslie Dixon from Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan's Broadway book. The musical also boasts the Broadway score by Shaiman and Wittman with additional songs created for the film.
Playing the young wannabe dancing queen Tracy Turnblad is newcomer Nikki Blonsky. Her parents, Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, are played by John Travolta and Christopher Walken, respectively. Filling out the cast of the racially-changing Baltimore landscape are Queen Latifah (as Motormouth Maybelle), Zac Efron (Link Larkin), Brittany Snow (Amber von Tussel), Michelle Pfeiffer (Velma von Tussel), James Marsden (Corny Collins), Elijah Kelly ( Seaweed), Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingleton) and Allison Janney (Prudy Pingleton). (Keep an eye out for Jerry Stiller and cameos by Waters, Shaiman, Wittman, Shankman and original "Hairspray" film star Rikki Lake.)
The New Line Cinema film is based on the still-running musical Hairspray, which itself was based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron ("Chicago") executive produced with Shankman, Shaiman, Wittman, Garrett Grant and Jennifer Gibgot.
"Good Morning Baltimore," "The Nicest Kids in Town," "It Takes Two," "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs," "I Can Hear The Bells," "Welcome to the 60's," "Run and Tell That," "Big, Blonde & Beautiful" "(You're) Timeless To Me," "I Know Where I've Been," "Without Love," "(It's) Hairspray," and "You Can't Stop The Beat" from the musical are all featured in the film.
New songs include "Ladies' Choice," "The New Girl in Town" and "Come So Far (Got So Far To Go)."
The movie does not include "Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now," but fans of the show tune can hear it over the end credits as all three incarnations of Tracy — Nikki Blonsky (new "Hairspray" film), Marissa Jaret Winokur (original Broadway star) and Rikki Lake (original "Hairspray" film) — join together in song.
Visit the official movie website at hairspraymovie.com.
