The box office numbers of “All Eyez On Me” once again prove that Black films are underestimated. (Summit Entertainment)
“All Eyez On Me” producer LT Hutton says he’s “hurt” by Jada Pinkett Smith’s diss of the Tupac biopic, but the film, which garnered mixed reviews, held its own at the box office over the weekend.
“Kinda disappointed and just hurt by the accusations that it wasn’t depicted [properly],” Hutton tells TMZ Friday, June 16 of Pinkett Smith’s tweets about the film’s inaccuracy. “It all came from the truth and places and moments of her actual dialogue and ideas that Pac actually had.”
Hutton explained the film shows who Tupac was and who he hoped to become. He added that he found interviews of Pinkett Smith talking about the late icon in an honest way. According to Hutton, the actress’ friends and associates told her about the film years ago and they “loved it” and “thought it was great.”
“I respect the hell out of Mrs. Smith,” he says. “C’mon, I wouldn’t put anything in this film — and everybody watching the film, they’ll tell you I was very responsible with everyone.”
Regardless of the criticism, “All Eyez On Me” opened to $27.1 million this past weekend, which was more than the industry projections of $17 million-$22 million, Variety reported. Twitter users shared clashing opinions of the film, but ticket sales ahead of the film’s release last Friday indicated it would perform well.
The industry website notes the doubt cast on “All Eyez On Me” indicates a bigger problem in Hollywood, as a study by the Motion Picture Association of America showed Black audiences made up the bulk of movie watchers last year. Variety argues studios should look into new ways to reach audiences when it comes to nonwhite films since UCLA’s 2016 Hollywood Diversity Report showed such films perform better overseas, which brings the industry millions more dollars.
