Fast and Furious 7 grossed $143.6 million this weekend, shattering any previous records set by the film franchise. This is the biggest opening weekend and FAF film has ever seen. It also landed at the no. 9 spot among the top 10 openings in history, Variety reports.
This was actor Paul Walker’s last role before his sudden death in 2013 after being in a car crash, which piqued many of the Fast and Furious fans.
“This is a bittersweet installment in the franchise,” said Phil Contrino, vice president and chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “[Walker’s] passing made this movie more intriguing for people who hadn’t seen some of the installments. It raised awareness and its success is a tribute to him.”
Coming in at no. 2 was Rihanna’s animated debut in DreamWork’s Home, raking in another $27.4 million. Get Hard starring Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell landed in the third spot grossing $12.9 million.