The love and goodwill for the latest entry in the Fast & Furious franchise continues, as the film has become the quickest ever to surpass $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
The franchise has a history of improving its revenue with every entry, and the newest film is already the most lucrative of the lot, far overtaking Fast & Furious 6’s $788 million gross. Fast & Furious 7 has made over $294 million in the States alone, less than three weeks after release, and has been bolstered by over $858 million of additional ticket sales across the rest of the world. That’s a combined figure of $1.15 billion.
Interest in the latest instalment has been significantly increased, as it features the final screen performance from series regular Paul Walker, who died mid-way through production. His scenes were completed with the help of his younger brothers, and the closing moments of the film act as a tribute to Walker’s appearances throughout the series.
Fast & Furious 7 is already the seventh highest grossing film of all time, overtaking the likes of Skyfall, The Dark Knight Rises, and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. It’s closing in on Iron Man 3, which made $1.21 billion in its time in cinemas. The record is still held by Avatar, which made over $2.78 billion.
It’s not just Fast & Furious 7 that’s faring well with audiences – Wiz Khalifa’s tribute single to Paul Walker, See You Again, topped the UK chart this week after shifting 193,000 copies, and has become the fastest-selling single of 2015 so far.
