The ninth instalment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise opened only in theatres, eschewing the hybrid streaming releases of several of the year’s films, and had the widest release of any movie since the start of the coronavirus crisis.Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures/The Associated Press
In the biggest sign yet that life is left in movie theatres, “F9” sped to a box office take of $70 million in its first weekend, the biggest pandemic-era opening for a film, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The ninth instalment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise opened only in theatres, eschewing the hybrid streaming releases of several of the year’s films, and had the widest release of any movie since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
The domestic total for Universal Pictures’ “F9” topped the previous pandemic-best of $48.4 million for “A Quiet Place Part II” four weeks ago. It was the biggest opening of any film since “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” in December 2019.
This weekend, “A Quiet Place Part II” came in a very distant second with $6.2 million. But it has now earned $136.4 million since its release. “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” brought in $4.88 million in the third spot.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.
1. “F9,” $70 million.
2. “A Quiet Place Part II,” $6.2 million.
3. “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,” $4.88 million.
4. “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” $4.85 million.
5. “Cruella,” $3.7 million.
6. “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” $2.9 million.
7. “In The Heights,” $2.2 million.
8. “Spirit Untamed,” $591,917.
9. “12 Mighty Orphans,” $560,000.
10. “Nobody,” $229,000.
Sign up for The Globe’s arts and lifestyle newsletters for more news, columns and advice in your inbox.