No one could have imagined that The Fast and the Furious — a genre movie about street racing in East Los Angeles — would transform into the most successful franchise in Universal’s history and become a global juggernaut with $2.3 billion in ticket sales.
The film, released in June 2001, was a sleeper hit in the U.S., grossing $144.5 million on a $38 million budget.
But it’s decidedly American storyline make it a tougher sell overseas, where it earned $62.9 million.
In 2013, however, Fast & Furious 6 earned $238.7 million domestically, a series best. The results were even more dazzling internationally, where the film grossed $551.1 million, or 776 percent ahead of the original film.
Furious 7 — marking the final film from Paul Walker, who died in November 2013 — opens this weekend and is getting the widest release in Universal’s history.
Box-office breakdown for the first six films:
The Fast and the Furious (June 20, 2001)
Domestic: $144.5 million
International: $62.9 million
Total: $207.4 million
2 Fast and 2 Furious (June 6, 2003)
Domestic: $127.1 million
International: $109.1 million
Total: $236.3 million
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (June 16, 2006)
Domestic: $62.6 million
International: $95.9 million
Total: $158.5 million
Fast & Furious (April 3, 2009)
Domestic: $155.1 million
International: $208.6 million
Total: $363.8 million
Fast Five (April 29, 2011)
Domestic: $210 million
International: $420 million
Total: $630 million
Fast & Furious 6 (May 24, 2013)
Domestic: $238.7 million
International: $551.1 million
Total: $787.7 million
Data Source: Rentrak
