The eighth installment in the long-running Fast and the Furious franchise, The Fate Of The Furious, hits theaters next month, and it looks like it's going to be another huge success. Despite being made without the late Paul Walker, fans are still enthusiastic for the explosive franchise, with the second trailer that dropped earlier this month whetting appetites for more underworld antics, explosions, and, of course, very fast cars. One of the most anticipated movies of the year, there's little doubt that star Vin Diesel is going to rake it in at the box office yet again.
The first predictions for the film's opening weekend are beginning to come in and to no one's surprise, it looks as though The Fast and Furious franchise will continue to be a guaranteed moneymaker.
The Wrap reports that early tracking numbers are projecting an opening weekend for The Fate of the Furious at between $110 and $120 million (domestic).
If these projections are accurate, this would be a somewhat average showing for the franchise, with 2013's Fast and the Furious 6 making $135 million on opening weekend, and 2015's Fast 7 raking in an incredible $191.9 million domestically ($397.6 worldwide). Fast 7 managed total box office earnings of $1.5 billion, making it one of the highest-grossing films of all time. With the weight of the franchise behind them, and stars Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson in the driving seat, it's highly likely that The Fate of the Furious could surpass its predecessor at the box office, although we won't know for sure until the opening night figures start to roll in.
The Fate Of The Furious is also being released with very little competition, with few other big titles released next month. The Lost City of Z (a true-life action/drama set in the Amazon in the 1920s) and Altitude (a minor action flick about an FBI agent on an airplane) are both set for release on April 14 alongside The Fate of the Furious, but are unlikely to offer any real competition. This leaves Fate in place as the lone action movie of the month, before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 launches blockbuster season in May.
While some would be happy to see this sprawling franchise finally roll to a stop after 16 years, the fans outweigh the detractors hugely, and it shows in the box office numbers. While it's possible that The Fate of the Furious will fail to out-earn its immediate predecessor, it looks like this will be another huge financial win for the franchise -- which will probably mean more Fast and the Furious movies yet to come.
Next: Why Vin Diesel Made Fast 8 Without Paul Walker
Source: The Wrap
