Box Office: ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ Races to $60 Million Opening Weekend

By Nate Nickolai

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Universal’s “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” is speeding to No. 1 at the domestic box office with a projected $60 million opening weekend.

After earning $23.7 million in Friday ticket sales, the film is now on par with early estimates, placing it above weekend holdovers “The Lion King” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” A $60 million opening does mark one of the lowest starts for a “Fast & Furious” entry; however it would be the biggest opening for a domestic film this summer outside of Disney and Marvel, overtaking “John Wick: Chapter 3,” which opened with $56.8 million.

The Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham spinoff has fared even better overseas, taking in $90 million in Friday ticket sales for a projected $120 million global total come Sunday. If estimates hold, the film will open at No. 1 in 53 separate markets with an opening in China still to come. That would mark the biggest global opening for either of the film’s stars outside of the original “Fast and Furious” franchise.

With a 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “Hobbs & Shaw” is also opening big with moviegoers, likely aided by its all star cast that includes Idris Elba, Helen Mirren and Vanessa Kirby in addition to Johnson and Statham who reprise their Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw characters.

Coming in at No. 2 is “,” which continues to draw audiences well into its third weekend. The Disney blockbuster took in another $11 million on Friday and is eyeing a $37.8 million weekend finish. The new numbers should place the live-action reboot as the 21st highest domestic performer of all time just days after it surpassed $1 billion in global ticket sales.

“” also proved to have strong holding power this weekend, earning another $5.6 million in Friday domestic ticket sales for a projected $19.3 million weekend finish. If estimates hold, the film should end up with about $78 million after ten days in theaters.

Rounding out the top five is “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” which earned $2.2 million for an estimated $7.6 million weekend finish, and “Toy Story 4” which took home around $2 million en route to a $6.9 million finish come Sunday.