ATLANTA — The “Fate of the Furious” is an important success for the fate of Atlanta’s robust film industry.
Universal Pictures on Sunday estimated that movie would earn a record $532.5 million worldwide over the holiday weekend, thanks to a particularly robust showing in 63 territories, including China.
If the figures hold, it will inch just past the previous record holder, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which launched at $529 million in December 2015 without China.
The film broke the record for biggest international weekend ever, with $432.3 million. The previous record holder was "Jurassic World," with $316.7 million.
The eighth in the “Fast and Furious” franchise was filmed largely in Atlanta, as well as Havana, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Previous movies filmed in Atlanta include "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Hidden Figures," "Captain America: Civil War," "Selma," "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," "Hunger Games" franchise, "The Internship," "Identity Thief," "Flight" and "Need for Speed."
Other movies currently being filmed in Atlanta include: "Black Panther," "The Darkest Minds," "Den of Thieves," "I, Tonya," "Lizzie," "Misfortune," "Pitch Perfect 3" and "Rampage."
"The Fate of the Furious" has many of the returning stars like Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese and Ludacris, but has added some new elements behind the camera in director F. Gary Gray and in front of the camera with Charlize Theron.
The "Fast and the Furious" is a global juggernaut for Universal Pictures, which plans two additional pictures. With the addition of "Fast 8," the franchise has earned an estimated $4.4 billion globally.
"It is a franchise that has adapted and changed over the years and is as relevant in 2017 as it was in 2001," noted Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for comScore. "The 'Furious' franchise perfectly represents what that global audience is all about. They're poised perfectly for installments 9 and 10 to do very well. It's still firing on all cylinders."
Information from the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was used in this report.
Cox Media Group
