World box office May 19-21 

‘Fast X’ delivers biggest international debut of 2023

International markets have long been key to the success of the Fast & Furious franchise, and they are proving to be the case once again. With an estimated $251.4m from 84 territories outside North America, Fast X (aka Fast & Furious 10) has delivered the biggest international opening of the year so far.

Fast X also grossed an estimated $67.5m in North America, combining for $318.9m worldwide since first landing in cinemas last Wednesday (May 17). IMAX delivered $22.0m worldwide – the second-highest opening for the franchise for the format.

Although Fast X delivered the biggest debut of the year in international markets, the weaker numbers for North America mean that it is eclipsed this year globally by the debut of The Super Mario Bros Movie, which kicked off in early April with $377.4m worldwide.

Comparisons with previous films in the Fast & Furious franchise are complicated by different release patterns – for example Fast & Furious 9 (aka F9: The Fast Saga) began on the exact same May weekend in 2021, but in only eight international markets, grossing $163m, including a powerful $136m in China. This time around, China delivered an opening of $78.3m for Fast X.

However, Universal calculates that the opening of Fast X in like-for-like international markets, excluding previews and excluding China, puts the launch of the film ahead of F9 and spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, and just below F8 (aka The Fate Of The Furious) and F7 (aka Furious 7).

In North America, the $67.5m estimated launch for Fast X compares with a $70.0m debut for F9, and $98.9m for 2017’s F8.

After China, Mexico delivered the second-biggest international opening for Fast X, with an estimated $16.7m. It’s the fifth-biggest opening of the pandemic era in the territory, and is the third biggest of the Fast & Furious franchise.

Brazil and France come next with estimated $9.6m openings. In Brazil, that’s the top opening of 2023 so far, and the third biggest of the pandemic era.

India comes fifth in the international league table, with an estimated $8.6m opening – not just the biggest debut for this franchise, but the biggest for Universal ever. Indonesia, with an estimated five-day $8.4m, similarly achieved the biggest ever debut for Universal.

Those successes mean that Germany (a five-day $8.0m) and UK/Ireland (three-day $7.5m) are down in seventh and eighth places internationally for Fast X. Japan ($7.0m) and South Korea ($6.7m) round out the top 10 international territories for the film.

Fast X is chasing a $726.2m global total for Fast & Furious 9, and $1.24bn for F8. Furious 7, which saw the franchise say goodbye to Paul Walker, who died during filming, remains the highest-grossing of all the films in the series, with $1.52bn worldwide. Spinoff Hobbs & Shaw grossed $760.7m in 2019.

‘Guardians Of The Galaxy 3’ hits $659m globally

Disney’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 is continuing to show strong legs relative to the performance of a typical Marvel film – despite the challenge of Fast X’s arrival in the marketplace. The third weekend of release saw the space adventure fall 48% in North America (similar to the second-weekend drop of 49%) and 47% internationally (which compares with a 40% fall last weekend).

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 grossed an estimated $32.0m in North America (taking the total so far to $266.5m) and $48.8m for international (for a $392.6m total). These numbers combine to deliver a $659.1m worldwide total.

The global total puts the third Guardians Of The Galaxy ahead of the final gross of 15 of the 32 MCU releases, if Russia is excluded from consideration – Disney’s preferred metric. If Russian box office is included, Vol 3 beats 12 of the MCU films’ lifetime totals.

Among major markets, France (-14%) and Germany (-24%) delivered particularly strong holds for the film at the weekend. Among smaller markets, Netherlands (+3%) and Denmark (-10%) did even better.

China leads the international ranking for cumulative totals on Vol 3 with $72.3m, ahead of UK/Ireland ($36.4m), Mexico ($30.8m), South Korea ($26.9m) and France ($24.2m).

Vol 3 is now 76% of the way to matching the $863.8m lifetime total of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, and 85% of the way to reaching the $773.4m achieved by the original Guardians Of The Galaxy in 2014.

‘Super Mario’ is third biggest animation of all time

The seventh weekend of release for Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie sees the film overtake the $1.24bn lifetime gross of Incredibles 2 to become the third-biggest animation of all time at the worldwide box office.

Estimated weekend takings of $26.9m bring the Illumination/Nintendo title’s total to $1.25bn. Among animated films, only Frozen II ($1.45bn) and Frozen ($1.28bn) have grossed more. These comparisons are not adjusted for inflation.

With $67.4m so far, Mexico remains the top international territory for the film. Japan, where the film is only in its fourth weekend of play, has overtaken UK/Ireland ($64.2m), and is now the second-biggest international territory, with a $67.4m total.

France delivered the second-best international number at the weekend (an estimated $1.6m), after Japan ($5.3m). The start of holidays in France saw uplift on Thursday and Friday, and the film battled local title – and Cannes Film Festival opener – Jeanne Du Barry for third place, behind Fast X and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3. The French cumulative total is $56.5m.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now the 21^st biggest film of all time at the global box office, and is closing in on Beauty And The Beast (ranked 20, with $1.27bn) and Frozen (ranked 19, with $1.28bn).

‘John Wick’ franchise hits $1bn

Last Friday saw Lionsgate announce that the four John Wick films have collectively surpassed $1bn at the global box office, with a combined total of $1.01bn. The latest weekend saw John Wick: Chapter 4 add an estimated $2.6m, taking the global total for the film to $430.2m.

The earlier films in the series saw numbers rise with each instalment: $87.8m for John Wick; $171.5m for John Wick: Chapter 2; and $326.7m for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The fourth film continues the upwards trajectory.