After an early release in eight different markets overseas, Universal‘s ninth entry in the Fast & Furious franchise has grossed whopping $162.4 million, breaking multiple records and marking the biggest Hollywood film debut at the international box office during the COVID-19 pandemic. In China alone, F9 has earned $135.6 million since it released May 21. The new release also pushed the franchise past the $6 billion mark globally.
Regarding the overseas reception, Universal Pictures International President of Distribution, Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said she’s “thrilled to see audiences come back to movie theaters and embrace the movie in the way that they did.” The film also opened in multiple Middle Eastern markets making for Saudi Arabia’s biggest opening day of all time with $995,000 in sales.
F9 won’t be released domestically until June 25 in an effort to allow as many people to see the film as safely as possible, and considering how things are looking overseas, the film might be the next biggest domestic release in the pandemic era since Godzilla Vs. Kong. But unlike Godzilla Vs. Kong, F9 is releasing solely in theaters and not on streaming services. This means if audiences want to see it, they’ll have to go to a theater, just like before the pandemic.
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