After setting aworldwide box office record, Universal’s blockbusterThe Fate of the Furiouswas expected to suffer a rather big second weekend drop, but still come out on top. Both predictions did in fact come true, with this high-octane blockbuster dropping a whopping 60.8%. But it still came out on top with an estimated $38.6 million. While there were five new movies arriving in theaters, two didn’t even crack the top 10, and the rest barely managed to underperform.
Box Office Mojoreports thatFate of the Furiouseven added 19 theaters this weekend for a total theater count of 4,329, earning a decent $8,936 per-screen average. This weekend’s tally brings its total up to $163.5 million domestic and a whopping $744.8 million international for a worldwide tally of $908.3 million. It’s possible that it could breakStar Wars: The Force Awakens' record of the fastest movie to reach $1 billion, with the Disney blockbuster taking just 12 days to accomplish that feat. If it reaches the milestone tomorrow, theUniversal blockbusterwould hit the mark on the 11th day, but it remains to be seen if it can take in nearly $100 million worldwide in just one day.Furious 7took just 15 days to accomplish that feat in 2015.
The only new release that came even remotely close toFurious 8was the Disney documentaryBorn in China, which opened in a distant fourth place with $5.1 million, behindFurious 8,The Boss Baby($12.7 million) and the Disney hitBeauty and the Beast($9.9 million), whileGoing in Stylerounded out the top 5 with $5 million. The top 10 was rounded out bySmurfs: The Lost Village($4.85 million) newcomerUnforgettable($4.8 million),Gifted($4.5 million), newcomerThe Promise($4 million) andThe Lost City of Z($2.1 million).Giftedexpanded into 840 more theaters this weekend for a total theater count of 1,896, whileThe Lost City of Zexpanded into 610 more theaters for a total of 614. NewcomerPhoenix Forgottendebuted just out of the top 10 in 11th place with $2 million whileFree Fireopened in 17th place with $1.03 million.
Over the course of seven films that have successively stoked passion in an ever-expanding audience and an astounding $3.9 billion at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures' record-smashing homegrown franchise has become the studio’s most-profitable and longest-running one. On social media platforms, fan following for the movies and cast has grown into the biggest of any active franchise. On the heels of 2015’sFurious 7, one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide in box-office history and the sixth-biggest global title of all time, comes the newest chapter in one of the most popular and enduring motion-picture serials of all time:The Fate of the Furious.
Also opening in limited release is IFC’s documentaryCitizen Jane, The Orchard’sJeremiah Towerand MUBI’sThe Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki, withThe Lost City of Zexpanding to 500 theaters.Citizen Janeearned $33,760 from just two theaters for an impressive $16,880 per-screen average.Jeremiah Towerearned $24,068 from two theaters for a $12,034 per-screen average, but no box office data was released forThe Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki.
Looking ahead to next weekend, three new movies will debut in the last weekend of spring, beforeGuardians of the Galaxy 2kicks off the summer movie season on May 5. Opening next weekend is STX Entertainment’sThe Circle, Pantelion’sHow to Be a Latin Loverand Blumhouse Tilt’sSleight. Also arriving in limited release is Gunpowder & Sky’sBelow Her Mouth, Well Go USA’sBuster’s Mal Heart,Grey Lady, Well Go USA’sThe Ladyand Oscilloscope Pictures’One Week and a Day. Take a look the box office estimates for the weekend of April 21 below, and check back next Tuesday for the next round of predictions.
