Universal’s “Fast Five,” the fifth installment of the massively successful “Fast and Furious” franchise, is about to hit the streets with the biggest domestic opening of the year thus far. An expected IMAX-fueled $70 million-plus haul will easily give the film pole position on the weekend box office chart.
This latest “Fast and Furious” takes its classic street-racing formula and turns it into a relentless heist-and-drive thriller with a reunited cast and the addition of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The film has already shot to No. 2 overseas after only one weekend in a little more than 400 theaters.
Fox’s “Rio” continues to draw audiences around the world and in the wake of a stunningly successful Easter weekend showing, should wind up in second place with just over $15 million in its third week of release. The family-friendly 3-D film has continued to do solid midweek business and will fly past the $100 million mark by Sunday night.
