'F9' puts charge back into theaters with $70M opening
LOS ANGELES - In the strongest sign yet that life is left in movie theaters, "F9" sped to a box office take of $70 million in its first weekend, the biggest opening for a film since the pandemic began, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The ninth installment in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, starring franchise regulars Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, opened only in theaters and had the widest release of any movie since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
The domestic total for Universal Pictures' "F9" topped the previous pandemic-best of $48.4 million for " A Quiet Place Part II " four weeks ago. It was the biggest opening of any film since "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" in December 2019.
"We couldn't be more gratified to see that the audience embraced the 'Fast' family and came out to see 'F9' in tremendous numbers," said Jim Orr, head of distribution for Universal. "The debut this weekend has really ignited the domestic box office and set it on a tremendous path for the rest of the year."
"A Quiet Place Part II" came in a very distant second with $6.2 million. But it has now earned $136.4 million since its release. "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" brought in $4.88 million in the third spot.
"F9" debuted internationally on May 19 and has now grossed more than $400 million globally.