How Eminem, 50 Cent Helped Jake Gyllenhaal's 'Southpaw' Land a Blow at Box Office

Eminem, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani and TheWeeknd appear to have helped the Jake Gyllenhaal boxing drama “Southpaw”connect at the box office with a $16.7 million weekend debut.

The youth, gender and minority-heavy makeup of the Antoine Fuqua-directed film’s audience were unusual for the Weinsein Company. Its films are typically awards bait and artier fare like Best Picture Oscar winners “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist,” or April’s Helen Mirren drama “Woman in Gold,” which was its last release.

Sixty percent of the “Southpaw” crowd was under 30, the gender split was even, while 24 percent of the audience was Hispanic and 21 percent African-American. Some of that is probably attributable to the film’s soundtrack, which features rappers and music acts, whose fan base audiences skew young.

Also Read: 'Southpaw' Producers on the 5-Year Fight to Make Jake Gyllenhaal's Boxing Movie

“Eminem and 50 Cent, Antoine shooting a great movie and a terrific performance by Jake” were cited by TWC’s distribution chief Eric Lomis as reasons for the success of the film, which co-stars Forest Whitaker and Rachel McAdams.

50 Cent and Eminem also helped heavily promote the film. The “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” rapper spent the past few weeks doing television, radio and online interviews amid his bankruptcy filing and sex tape court case in New York. And Eminem has been plugging the drama on his Twitter account, urging his 19.6 million followers to see the movie and buy the soundtrack.

Meanwhile, TWC chief Harvey Weinstein liked Gyllenhaal’s performance so much that he predicted an Oscar nomination for the actor, who many thought was snubbed after his standout performance in “Nightcrawler” last year, while previewing the film in March at the Cannes Film Festival.

Weinstein knows how to sell a movie, so it may have been more marketing ploy than awards analysis. If so, it worked. “Southpaw” scored a hit with opening weekend audiences, who gave it an “A” Cinemascore and were very positive in TWC’s exit polls, according to Lomis.

Also Read: Jake Gyllenhaal Is Powered by New Eminem Music in Latest 'Southpaw' Trailer (Video)

Roughly $17 million is a good start, but far from a blockbuster haul. Still, it didn’t have a blockbuster-sized budget either, with the film costing about $25 million after tax credits. And given the likely positive word of mouth based on the exit polls and CinemaScore, “Southpaw” should be able to build on that number.

“I think we’re going to be around for awhile because of the word of mouth and the fact that we’re a drama in the middle of summer,” said Lomis. “It can’t be all superhero stuff and comedies, and I think we provide something for grownups.”

The Evolution of Jake Gyllenhaal: From 'Bubble Boy' to 'Life' (Photos)

"Bubble Boy" (2001)
One of Gyllenhaal's earliest film credits is as Jimmy Livingston -- a boy without an immune system who lives in a bubble -- in "Bubble Boy"
Buena Vista Pictures
"Donnie Darko" (2001)
Perhaps one of Gyllenhaal's most notable roles, the actor stars as the titular character in this cult classic about a troubled teenager with disturbing visions
Newmarket Films
"The Good Girl" (2002)
In "The Good Girl," Gyllenhaal plays Holden, the love interest of Jennifer Aniston's character Justine Last. The two start an affair while working together at a local department store
Fox Searchlight Pictures
"Moonlight Mile" (2003)
After Joe Nast's (Gyllenhaal) fiancée Diana Floss was murdered in a shooting, he opts to stay with her parents and mourn her loss together
Buena Vista Pictures
"The Day After Tomorrow" (2004)
In this sci-fi flick, Gyllenhaal plays Sam Hall -- a baby-faced teenager visiting Manhattan when disastrous weather strikes
20th Century Fox
"Brokeback Mountain" (2005)
Gyllenhaal plays Heath Ledger's lover Jack Twist in one of the most innovative films of all time. The two gay cowboys earned several Academy Awards nods.
Focus Features
"Jarhead" (2005)
Gyllenhaal stars as real-life United States Marine Anthony Swofford who is deployed to fight in the Gulf War
Universal Pictures
"Zodiac" (2007)
In "Zodiac," Gyllenhaal's character Robert Graysmith is fascinated by a notorious serial killer in San Francisco. He later goes on to pen a book about the self-named Zodiac killer, though the murders remain unsolved
Paramount Pictures
"Brothers" (2009)
Gyllenhaal stars opposite Tobey Maguire in "Brothers," a story about a Marine with intense post-traumatic stress disorder
Lionsgate
"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010)
The actor stars as Dastan in this adventure action fantasy film based on the video game, as Gyllenhaal proves he is capable of taking on a macho persona in an action flick
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
"Love & Other Drugs" (2010)
In "Love & Other Drugs," he plays Jamie Randall -- a successful Viagra salesman and Anne Hathaway's love interest
20th Century Fox
"Prisoners" (2013)
Gyllenhaal stars as Detective Loki, a somber character who is tasked with the safe return of two girls who go missing
Warner Bros. Pictures
"Nightcrawler" (2014)
Gyllenhaal portrays Louis "Lou" Bloom in "Nightcrawler" -- a freelance cameraman who shoots crime scenes. Oftentimes, he tampers with evidence for the sake of a better, more profitable shot
Open Road Films
"Enemy" (2014)
Gyllenhaal is his own co-star in "Enemy," a psychological thriller about one identical twin who stalks the other
A24 Films
"Southpaw" (2015)
The actor plays down-and-out boxer Billy Hope in "Southpaw." The fighter undergoes an inspiring comeback story after the death of his wife (Rachel McAdams)
The Weinstein Company
"Demolition" (2016)

The actor plays a young finance exec who goes into a tailspin while mourning the sudden death of his wife.
Fox Searchlight
"Nocturnal Animals" (2014)

The actor played dual roles in Tom Ford's acclaimed thriller, as both struggling novelist (and ex-husband of Amy Adams' gallery owner) as well as the protagonist of that writer's creepy novel.
Focus Features
"Sunday in the Park With George" (2017)

Gyllenhaal starred with Annaleigh Ashford in a Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical as 19th-century French artist Georges Seurat.
"Life" (2017)

Gyllenhaal stars opposite Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson as astronauts who discover life on Mars -- and it seems less than friendly to human visitors.
Sony