LOS ANGELES:

Universal’s “Good Boys” is surpassing expectations as it heads toward an estimated $20.8 million opening weekend at the domestic box office following $8.3 million in Friday ticket sales.

That’s well above earlier estimates which placed the film in the $12 million to $15 million range, marking the first R-rated comedy to open No. 1 since Universal’s “The Boss” in 2016. And if estimates hold, the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldbergproduced pic could score the best original comedy opening of 2019.

Gene Stupnitsky is making his feature directorial debut with the film. Brady Noon, Jacob Tremblay and Keith L. Williams star.

Universal also took second place at the box office with “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”, which took in $3.8 million for an estimated $13.5 million third weekend. The Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham spinoff is also set to cross $300 million internationally for a $400 million global total.

Rounding out the box office’s top films are holdovers Disney’s “The Lion King”, which is looking to take home another $11 million and CBS Films, eOne and Lionsgate’s “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”, which scored $3 million on Friday as it heads toward a cumulative total of $40 million. Sony Picture’s “The Angry Birds Movie 2” also made the top five, taking home $2.75 million on Friday for a $9.4 million four day total (The film tried to get a jump on the weekend’s crowded box office by opening on Tuesday). (RTRS)