The rhetoric surrounding sports biopic King Richard has been more than promising following its Nov. 19 wide release. The Will Smith headlined film has rave reviews thanks to the stellar performances of Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, and Jon Bernthal.
King Richard opened with a $5.7 million weekend in 3,302 theaters across the nation. Saturday grossed the most with $2.1 million, while Friday delivered $1.9 million and Sunday dipped by 25% to $1.6 million. Internationally, the Warner Bros. and Overbrook Entertainment pic obtained a box office of $2.5 million.
The pic encountered a lot of deflections, that included a parallel open with Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which came in at No. 1 pulling a domestic box office of $44 million, and the continuing reigns of Disney’s Eternals and Paramount Pictures’ Clifford the Big Red Dog. King Richard also had a day-and-date release that saw the film simultaneously being available in theaters and on HBO Max, a release tactic that some have found to be counterintuitive to having a big opening weekend in theaters.
The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday may inspire more moviegoers to see the film, especially since it’s perfect for families and children. In addition, the nationally recognized holidays will enable some people to have time off to watch the film.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Top Boy, Monsters and Men) and written by newly-minted scribe Zach Baylin, King Richard follows the story of hands-on father Richard Williams, who raises five daughters alongside his wife Oracene Williams in Compton, CA. Set on making something out of his children, the ambitious parents manage to mold a valedictorian and two powerhouse tennis players, Venus and Serena, despite challenges with finding a coach and navigating the treacherous streets of their neighborhood.
The pic addresses important issues that have riddled the Black community for years, such as the conflict between those who choose to pursue a higher purpose in life versus those who are essentially corner-pocketed into a life of crime and poverty leading to nothing but a dead end. Relations within the Black community also segued into a not-so-overwhelming awareness of the times. In one particular scene, the Rodney King beating was brought up, which led to an entertaining scene involving Williams meeting with a couple of non-woke agents.
Unlike the narrative that attempted to saturate social media before the release of the film, King Richard also delves into the perceived weaknesses of Richard Williams that include his children from previous relationships, his sometimes overbearing personality that tends to frustrate his family and those who know him, and his fear of failure. The depiction of Williams is well-rounded and in no way panders to an unrealistic caricature of the man that believed so deeply and invested in his daughters’ dreams.
While there is significant focus on the technicalities of tennis, the pic is more than just a sports drama, but does a brilliant job of intermixing various aspects of a good biopic to draw not only fanatics of tennis, but also families, the aspiring, and more.
King Richard is definitely worth the watch, especially in light of holiday festivities. It will leave you inspired, and at times, teary-eyed by the touching moments shared between an unbelievably optimistic family.
