If you thought Caleb McLaughlin was going to take it easy after his massive run as Lucas Sinclair on Stranger Things, think again. The actor has officially traded the Upside Down for the animated hardwood, and the career pivot is paying off big time. His new animated feature, GOAT, just scored a massive win by taking the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office.
In its second weekend in theaters, Sony Pictures Animation’s GOAT defied the usual post-debut slump, pulling in a cool $17 million. That impressive haul was more than enough to dethrone Warner Bros.’ hit adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which moved to second place with $14.2 million, and easily bypassed Lionsgate’s newcomer, the faith-based sequel I Can Only Imagine 2, which debuted at $8 million.
Holding strong with a slim drop of just 38% from its opening frame, GOAT is riding a wave of stellar word-of-mouth. The family-friendly sports comedy has now grossed over $58.3 million domestically, officially crossing the highly coveted $100 million mark worldwide with a current global total of $102.3 million.
So, what is the movie that has audiences packing theaters in the typically quiet February box office?
Produced by four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, who also lends his voice to a giraffe named Lenny, GOAT is a wildly fun underdog story.
McLaughlin stars as the voice of Will Harris, a scrappy teenage Boer goat with sky-high dreams of playing “roarball,” a fast-paced, co-ed contact sport that plays like a hyper-charged version of basketball. Will’s life changes forever when he unexpectedly gets drafted to a pro team, putting him right alongside his sports idol, Jett Fillmore (voiced by Gabrielle Union).
The film also boasts a stacked supporting voice cast, including McLaughlin’s Stranger Things co-star David Harbour, Bridgerton‘s Nicola Coughlan, and comedy heavyweight Nick Kroll.
