F9 records huge numbers at the international box office this weekend, sweeping in $162.4 million to drive the franchise’s total over $6 billion.
The latest installment of the Fast and Furious franchise titled F9 has set the international box office on fire. In its opening weekend, the action-entertainer has raked in massive $162.4 million in eight markets, including China, Korea, and Hong Kong. This is the best opening weekend for a Hollywood film since COVID-19 hit last year. F9 was originally scheduled for release last year but got delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has already begun to roll out internationally ahead of a U.S. debut on June 25.
It is an incredible start to the summer movie season, especially when the industry is hoping to get back to business after a severe COVID-19 hit. F9 blockbuster opening has certainly raised hopes as the income F9 generated at the box office is not is no far from what it would have generated in the non-pandemic period.
Moviegoers are back to business. “Moviegoers are eager to come back to theaters when the right movie is out there,” Universal’s president of international distribution Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said. “It’s a great movie for the China market,” she adds. “It has a strong fanbase.”
F9 posted incredible numbers in China, earning $135.5 million in the opening weekend. This is the second-highest opening for the franchise in the country following its last film, 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious” ($184 million). F9 is the only second Hollywood film in two years to score more than $100 million in the opening weekend in China. The other one is the 2019 epic superhero drama “Avengers: Endgame”.
Not only in China but F9 also posted decent numbers in other territories as well. It opened to $9.9 million in Korea, $6.2 million in the Middle East, and a respectable $2.4 million in Hong Kong.
Fast and Furious franchise grosses $6 billion globally
A strong opening weekend for F9 has pushed the Fast & Furious franchise past $6 billion globally. These are insane numbers. Furious 7 released in 2017 is the highest-grossing movie of the franchise with a gross collection of $1.5 Billion.
When the franchise debuted twenty years ago, who would have that it would reach these heights in the future? What began as a simple action flick about street racing has emerged as a global phenomenon.
