Projections had forecast that 'Furious 7' would enjoy a nine-figure opening weekend in America, but its success across the globe has been astonishing.
As widely predicted, Furious 7 romped to victory at American box offices this weekend, but what wasn’t expected was the scale of its success internationally. Incredibly, the film has debuted at number one in every single territory in which it’s been released thus far.
The Universal flick, starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and the late Paul Walker, has taken a staggering $240.4 million from international box offices. Added to the receipts from the American domestic audience, that makes a total of $384 million in ticket sales since the release date of April 3rd, CNN Money reports.
The 'Furious 7' gang, including the late Paul Walker (2nd R)
On top of the franchise’s immense popularity, interest in this seventh instalment has of course been stoked by Walker’s death. The actor was killed in a car crash in November 2013, having not quite completed shooting his scenes for the movie. His brothers Cody and Caleb took his place to finish those scenes, and tributes and praise have been pouring in for Walker and the movie at all of its screenings and premieres so far.
More: Paul Walker fans pay tribute at surprise ‘Furious 7’ screening at SXSW
Movie website Box Office Mojo called its success “incredible… …and that’s without any help from China, Japan and Russia, where it will open in the next few weeks.” The total sales figure represents the third highest grossing international opening weekend ever for a Hollywood franchise.
Only Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides have been more successful in their opening weekends. Domestically, Furious 7 has claimed the highest opening weekend for an April release ever, besting the old record set by last year’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($95 million) by over $50 million.
It’s also the biggest opening weekend of 2015 so far, making the first weekend for Fifty Shades of Grey of $85 million seem positively tame by comparison. The records have been tumbling this weekend, and rumour has it that an eighth ‘Fast & Furious’ film is being considered. Could it conceivably perform even better than this one?
More: See Paul Walker in the high-octane ‘Furious 7’ trailer
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