VIn Diesel and Rita Moreno in Fast X (Universal Pictures image)
May 21, 2023
Universal Pictures’ Fast X, the 10th installment in the Fast & Furious speeding cars action franchise, generated more than $67 million in projected North American ticket sales in its theatrical debit through May 21. Globally, the Vin Diesel-led movie topped $319 million, the sixth highest in the post-pandemic era, and much-needed considering the movie’s reported record $340 million production budget.
At the same time, the North American tally looks to fall slightly short of previous franchise release, F9, which generated more than $70 million in its opening weekend debut in 2021. In fact, Fast X looks to finish behind 2017’s The Fate of the Furious ($98.8 million), Furious 7 ($147.2 million), Fast & Furious 6 ($97.3 million), 2011’s Fast 5 ($86.2 million), and 2009’s Fast & Furious at $71 million. The movie does surpass the $60 million opening box office for 2019 spin-off Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
Not surprisingly, Universal is looking at the global picture, including more than $250 million in foreign ticket sales, excluding Canada.
“What a tremendous global debut for this incredible, unique franchise,” Jim Orr, president, domestic theatrical distribution, said in a statement. “Audiences were revved up to see their beloved Fast family back in theaters with all the spectacular action and familial themes that resonate so well across the globe.”
In addition, the movie easily held off previous box office No. 1, Disney/Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which saw another $32+ million in ticket sales, to up its North American box office past $267 million, and $659 million globally.
Rounding out the podium: Universal’s animated behemoth The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which added almost $10 million in revenue despite being available in the home to buy or rent digitally priced from $24.99. The movie has now surpassed Disney’s The Incredibles 2 as the No. 3 all-time grossing animated movie with $1.24 billion in ticket sales. The Mario Bros. remain the top-grossing North American release in 2023 with almost $550 million in revenue.
Universal’s box office presence continued with Book Club: The Next Chapter adding $3 million in ticket sales, upping the sequel’s total past $13 million, still behind its reported $20 million production budget.
Warner Bros. Pictures supernatural horror film Evil Dead Rise sold another $2.3 million worth of tickets to up the scratched HBO Max original movie’s global tally past $140 million worldwide.
Finally, Lionsgate’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret generated $1.3 million to up its North American total near $19 million. John Wick: Chapter 4 took in an estimated $1.3 million to up its North American tally past $185 million. And Lionsgate’s World War 2 drama Sisu added $171,600 in ticket sales to up its domestic tally past $7 million.