At one of the few points in the year where UK bank holidays and a US Federal day off (in this case Memorial Day) sync up, the film released Stateside enjoyed four days of ticket traffic. The clear winner, as in the UK, was the Fast & Furious franchise, with Furious 6 notching up a healthy four-day estimated total of $120 million. Which, added to its worldwide haul so far, brings it to $317 million. You can see why Universal is itching to get the seventh speeding into cinemas next year.
But there is also a cautionary franchise tale to be told this weekend, as The Hangover Part III stumbled badly, especially compared to the success of the second film. The third could only manage a poor $51.2 million start, well below the storming launch of Dominic Toretto and co. Though the film ends with a cheeky nod to possible future endeavours, Warner Bros. may decide that the tag line for this one – “The End” – sticks.
Third place went to Star Trek Into Darkness, which held well against the new competition, taking home $47 million. It stayed ahead of new Blue Sky ‘toon Epic, which launched in fourth with $42.6 million, which is still apparently ahead of studio expectations. I****ron Man 3 fell to fifth place, but still earned $24.3 million. And we doubt Marvel will be too worried since the movie sailed past the $1 billion mark worldwide long ago.
Sixth was The Great Gatsby, which earned $17 million (old sport), while Mud went up one place to seventh, making $2.4 million. The Croods slipped to eighth and $1.62 million, with 42 at ninth ($1.6 million) and Oblivion rounded out the top 10 with $1 million.
To see the Fast crew put the hurt on the Wolfpack in the full chart listings, drive over to Box Office Mojo.