Box Office: ‘Home’ Blasts Off for Massive $59 Million Weekend

The animated comedy “Home” is headed for a box office home run.

DreamWorks Animation’s family film defied expectations, to say the least, opening to $15.6 million on Friday, which set it on course for just under $59 million this weekend. This is one of the best debuts in recent years for a DreamWorks Animation original title. However, the studio has a more modest estimate of $55.5 million.

Meanwhile, Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart’s R-rated buddy comedy “Get Hard” is headed for $35.5 million.

This is a stellar start for “Home” as only 15% of K-12 schools are on spring break. Recent forecasts had pegged “Home” in the $30 million to $35 million range.

Now, the musical comedy is more than likely to finish far above Fox’s “Rio 2,” which debuted to $39.3 million around this time last year.

The pic, which cost $130 million to produce, also stands to outperform other recent DreamWorks releases handled by Fox, including “Penguins of Madagascar,” which grossed $35.4 million in its opening five-day weekend; “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” which reeled in $32.2 million in its debut; and “Turbo,” which made $31 million in five days. The animation studio took a $57.1 million writedown on the first two aforementioned films.

“Home” follows a young girl — one of the only humans not to have been relocated by an alien race — and her newfound Martian friend. The movie, which is based on Adam Rex’s 2007 children’s book “The True Meaning of Smekday,” stars the voices of Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Steve Martin.

Warner Bros.’ “Get Hard” launched to $12.9 million on Friday. It aims for a higher-than-forecast $35.5 million this weekend.

The R-rated comedy, which carries a $40 million pricetag, offers counterprogramming this weekend following a controversial debut earlier this month at the SXSW Film Festival.

Ferrell stars as a hedge fund manager who hires Hart’s character, who’s never been to jail, as his prison coach. Gay and racial jokes ensue. The two comedians are consistent box office draws, so this movie certainly has legs.

Last weekend’s No. 1 film, “The Divergent Series: Insurgent,” came in third on Friday with an estimated $6.9 million. The sequel from Lionsgate targets just under $24 million this weekend (down 55% from its debut). The sci-fi actioner will have likely earned $88 million by Sunday.

“Cinderella” landed in fourth with $4.7 million. Disney’s live-action adaptation looks to finish the weekend with $17 million-plus, which would raise its cume to $150 million.

“It Follows” will round out the weekend’s top five, bumping “Kingsman: The Secret Service” to sixth, following its expansion into 1,218 theaters. Radius’ horror pic scared up an estimated $1.4 million on Friday en route to $3.5 million-plus this weekend. “Kingsman,” however, came in fifth on Friday.

Related stories

Box Office: 'Home' Heading Over Forecasts for $44 Million Opening; 'Get Hard' Looking at $38 Million

Digital Tracking: DreamWorks Animation to Find a 'Home' Atop Box Office

Box Office: 'Get Hard' Opens with $1.8 Million Thursday Night

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter