Hart Movie Rides Tall - Pollstar News

While Hollywood ponders the lessons of critical disaster “The Lone Ranger,” one movie featuring just a comedian and his microphone has already turned a hefty profit.

Standup comedian Kevin Hart put down his own money to make “Let Me Explain,” which is just a live performance. Hart’s $2.5 million investment returned $17.5 million in five days on a limited release, according to the New York Times.

Photo: AP Photo / South Beach Comedy Festival

South Beach Comedy Festival, Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach, Fla.

It was released by Lions Gate Entertainment’s Codeblack Films, which focuses on movies appealing to African-Americans.

Meanwhile, the critically reviled “Lone Ranger” has been a relative hit with the average American, grossing $48.9 million including $29.4 million over a recent weekend, good for second to “Despicable Me 2.”

However, Disney poured $250 million into the movie, which the studio probably thought would be a big hit considering it has Johnny Depp basically revising his Captain Jack Sparrow role while wearing warpaint.

Meanwhile, Universal Pictures’ “Despicable Me 2” cost $76 million to make and has grossed $142 million so far. The Brad Pitt vehicle “World War Z” isn’t doing too bad either, accumulating $159 million, but that’s still a far cry from breaking even. The movie reportedly cost more than $200 million to put together.