After a couple months of middling returns and a string of massive box office bombs, the 2015 blockbuster season is officially underway as Deadline reports Furious 7 raked in an estimated $67.5 million on Friday, putting the street racing franchise’s latest installment on pace for an opening weekend that could hit more than $150 million. That mark would give Furious 7 the ninth best opening weekend of all-time behind Spider-Man 3 ($151.1 million) and well ahead of the April opening weekend record of $95 million set just last year by Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Frankly, the fact this movie has grossed so much so fast — pardon the pun — is bonkers to me. The Fast and Furious franchise has always done well at the box office, but a $150 million opening weekend is normally the stuff of costumed superheroes or young adult fiction characters, not a band of street racers in jeans and t-shirts. I haven’t yet seen the film, but now I’m even more curious to find out just what Furious 7 has going for it that is bringing moviegoers out of the woodwork in such high volume.
What do you guys think? Have you seen the film yet? Just how high might we see these opening weekend numbers climb, and what does that mean not just for Furious 7 but for the blockbusters coming down the pipe for the remainder of 2015? One thing is for sure: this ride-or-die family sure has set the bar pretty high.
Brad will be here tomorrow morning with a complete weekend wrap-up.
